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cTWINER'S c^TVlANUAL 

St 

SAW HAMMERING AND 

FILING. 



1905 EDITION. 



A COMPLETE COURSE OF INSTRUCTIONS ON SAW HAMMERING 
AND FILING; INTELLIGENTLY, YET PLAINLY, WRITTEN 
AND ADEQUATELY ILLUSTRATED WITH ORIGINAL 
DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR AND EMBODY- 
ING A BAND SAW TREATISE AND MIS- 
CELLANEOUS HINTS FOR THE 
MILLMAN. 



Price, $5.00 per Copy Postpaid. 



THE B. F. ULMER COMPANY, 

Compilers and Publishers 
cylTLANTA, GA. 

Copyright, 1905, hy J. H. Miner. 



<%^ 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION _- 



CIRCULAR SAWS : | i- .-owe* .<^u.^ 

The Test j..J^U;^..14..4iiU&.. 

Striking Solid Blows f SojatfogBitna^- 

Miner's Saw Guages ll^Lxftf^i^, /^d^C 

A Word About Imposters |>.M**,§S-^- i??^iji t 

Saw Tensioning l / S / / S'H- 

Saw No. I I QQp.y..a». .. 

Saw No. 2 'rr'rr':Trr T.: - r~r r- - ^ 



6 

15 

A Few Words About Even Tension 17 

Saw No. 3 18 

Saw No. 4 20 

The Tight Line Argument 22 

A Twisted Saw 23 

Inserted Tooth Saws 27 

Teeth Setting to One Side 28 

The vSolid Saw — How it Should be Swaged, etc 30 

Sawing Logs to Best Advantage ; How to Get Straight Lumber 

From Crooked Logs 32 

How the Rim of a Saw Should be 34 

How Much of the Rim Should be Flat 35 

Saws Turning Over the Collar 35 

How Guide and Mandrel Should Be ' 35 

The Lead of a Saw 36 

Does Your Carriage Run on a Straight Line 36 

How Collars Should Be; How to Turn Them in Place 37 

What Causes Your Lumber to be Out of Square 37 

Mistakes Made About the Number of Teeth in a Saw 38 

CUT-OFF, TRIMMER AND SLASHER SAWS ; 38 ' 

Crack in Cut^Off Saws 39 

THE USE OF THE EMERY WHEEL 39 

BAND LOG SAWS : 

As Much in the Sawyer as in the Filer 41 

The Carriage and Track ^ 41 

Worn Carriage Wheels and Bearings! .41 

Lining the Wheels with the Track 42 

The Guides and Pins i 42 

Balancing the Wheels ../!i..T 42 

Hammering and Rolling Band Saws A Nh T ^^ 

Testing Band Saws for Tension AAiliin^ 44 

What Causes a vSaw to Crack .....f.lf.lji.Q.y. 45 

Cause of Cracks in Center L.j..././f\}..Y. 45 

Amount of Set Required \l..:..v.. 46 



II 



Swaging Band Saws 46 

If Teeth Crumble on Edge 46 

The Use of the Rolls 47 

Twists in Band Saws 47 

The Kinds of Hammers 48 

Polish Your Saws 49 

Grinding the Wheels of a Band Mill 49 

Speed of Band Saws 49 

Amount of Tension 49 

Double Cutters ... .50 

Brazing Band Saws ...51 

Small Band Saws 51 

BANDORE-SAWS 52 

Hardening or Tempering a Braze 52 

GANG SAWS : 

Amount of Oscillation 53 

How to Set the Oscillation.... 53 

Setting the Overhang 55 

Filing Gang Saws 55 

Hammering Gang Saws 55 

What Causes Saws to Snake 56 

Cants Running to One Side 56 

SHINGLE AND HEADING SAWS : 

Hammering, Heading and Shingle Saws 56 

How to Hammer 57 

Smooth Uniform Work Necessary 57 

To Remove Twists 57 

Thin Saws ! 58 

Hammering the Collars 58 

Proper Shape Teeth and Set 59 

Small Saws 60 

CONCLUSION 6c 

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS. 

Canton Saw Co Inside Back Cover 

Dixie Wood- Worker, Subscription Offers 10 

Hanchett Swage Works, Between Pages 32 and 33 

Household Expense Book 14 

Lombard Iron Works and Supply Co., Inside Back Cover 

Lumbermen's Yellow Pine & Cypress Reference Book 26 

Mallary Mill Supply Co 21 

Miner, J. H 62 

Savannah Locomotive Works & Supply Co. 61 

Scribner's Log Book 14 

Southern Saw Works Inside Front Cover 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



INTRODUCTION. 

In presenting this my Fourth Edition on Hammering Circu- 
lar Saws, I am pleased to state that after many years experience 
in the fastest mill in the Southern States, and in repairing all 
kinds of saws from almost every State in the Union, I find I 
cannot deviate very much from my original dnawings, but I will, 
in this edition, go into further detail to better enable the inex- 
perienced mill owner tio succeed. 

These instructions are infallible, and combine the principles 
adopted and practiced by all successful filers. Success means 
the masteiing of any circular saw in any kind of timber. 

It is unnecessary here to elaborate on the merits of the sim- 
plicity of my method, as they have been before the public since 
1888, and there are now over 5,000 users of some in practically ev- 
ery section of the globe. 

BAND SAW TREATISE. 

To this Manual is added a Treatise on Band Saws. It is so 
plain and simple that any practical circular or band filer cannot 
help but succeed if he follows the instructions given carefully. 
I have endeavored to avoid the use of "big words" and long 
phrases, that the proper idea may be readily conveyed. Remem- 
ber that to succeed in the saw filing line requires a talent that 
books or personal instruction cannot impart, and only those 
adapted come up to high rank, but yet by close study the aver- 
age filer can produce much better results. 

Shingle and Gang Saws fully treated; how to hammer, set 
land file such saws. 

In short, a saw properly hammered, as per these instructions, 
will not heat or make any bad lumber. When I say this I make 
no exaggeration. Hundreds of the best filers in the world tes- 
tify to this fact. 

These instructions are compiled after years of the closest 
study. No man in the United States has sought information 
more eagerly than I. . I have bought every work published 
and written on saws, have watched new saws very closely, and 
must confess that after over twenty-five years of actual prac- 
tice in hammering and repairing saws I have found the secret 
of the proper place to put the tension In a saw. I make no 
boast, but I do challenge the world to prove that my instruc- 
tions are not only correct, but explained in the simplest man- 
ner. 

Fraternally yours, 

J. H. MINER, 
Lumberton, Miss, 1905. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



THE TEST. 

This cut, fig. 8, sbows how a saw must be tested. It is raised 
clear of the anvil, supported on each edge with a straightedge 
applied at exactly right angles to the supports. These instruc- 
tions apply to this test only, and failure will result if the saw 
is tested in any other way. 




Use a round and straight pene hammer or dogliead, and cross 
pene of about 5 lb. weight. The instructions herewith also apply 
to hammering on the anvil. Use no pad, unless the saw, by 
accident, is dished over the collar. Better go slow, and be in the 
right, than to hit sledge hammer blows and ruin or break your 



Use the round face for tensioning; the long face is seldom 
used, and only on ridges or twists. 

STRIKING SOLID BLOWS. 

The filer should become impressed with the fact that he should 
strike solid blows; any man who cuts or indents his saw is des- 
tined to failure. Remember this and be governed accordingly. 
Use a 4-lb. hammer on the light lanvil. 

The man whO' follows these little details closely wil soon com- 
mand from two to four dollars per day better pay. 

The impatient, or the reckless, man has lost "his calling." 

MINER'S SAW GUAGES. 

I have furnished to filers and mill owners over 2,000 Guages. 
They reach from eye to the rim, and are made with the prop* 
er curve to speed and guaranteed to be correct to the thousandth 
part of an inch. I have la template and number of all that I have 
made, and with the record I have I can fit any saw at any speed. 
There is no one in the world, saw makers included, that can 
make an accurate guage on the correct principle. 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



These instructions are given by the straightedge, as this is 
the correct way. A guage is as simple as a caliper set to fit 
a given shaft. The operator makes the ht much better than witlh 
lout it, but he does not know the exact size. So it is with my 
guages; .they are the only thing in the hands of the filer who 
prides himself and wants good results. \ 

Some filers will not use them, because they give too much 
work; that is, they show defects that the straightedge misses. 
Some filers have obtained good results without a guage, but for 
immediate results the guage is indispensable. 

SPECIAL NOTICE. 

Yiour success depends on you memorizing every word of this 
little book. I have put the information in as few words as pos- 
sible. I earnestly ask you not to attempt to hammer a saw until 
you memorize every part. I have had many questions asked 
me that were as plain as could be made in print. You are at 
liberty to write me any questiion you wish and I will cheerfully 
answer, but before writing refer and see if it is not herein an- 
swered. 

In revising these instructions, I have endeavored to make 
plainer some parts, where many questions have been asked. 
Please study very carefully sheets Nos. 1 and 2, and when you 
have done so you have learned something about a saw. 

It is hereby agreed that you will not allow anyone who is in- 
terested in saws to read this book, nor to impart any infor- 
mation herein to any person or persons. 

Please have the honor to protect me, and refer interested 
parties to me or the publishers. 

INSTRUCTIONS ON HAMMERING, ETC. 

In the eight sheets on Circular Saws we will assume we have ^ 
to run at high speed and fast speed, say 800 revolutions. Fur- 
ther on I will treat of slower speeds. The slower speed saw is 
hammered precisely as the higher speed, only that it has less 
tension. We are using only three istraightedges, a 6-inch, 12 
inch and 24-inch. The 24-inch is long enough for any saw. The 
istraightedges are lettered and I will refer to them by the letter | 
only. A, in sheet No. 1, is a 24-inch, and C is a 12-inch. 

A WORD ABOUT IMPOSTORS. 

Everything of merit is couterfeited. Occasionally I hear of 
a man "bumming around ruining millmen, claiming to have work- 
ed under me, or to have 'my book.' " The man who can not 
show these instructions and a guage with my name and address, 
with number stamped on it, is an imposter. I positively refuse 
to sell these instructions to men that are not reliable and honest. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



A saw opened to speed and uniform would, to the average 

man, seem to be all there is to it. Right here is where 99 

out of every 100 stop. The secret of hammering any saw is tio 

get the tension in the right place, or the saw will not stand up 

^ and will be broken. 

Sheet No. 1, is a saw that will heat on the rim; will run out 
in la slab and into the cut after the heart is past. In pitchey 
or frozen timber it will throw dust and heat quickly on rim. 

Sheet NO'. 2 is a saw that will not run straight, but will dodge 
hard places and run out on a slab, but will not heat like No. 1. 

Sheet No. 4 explains how to convert Nos. 1 land 2 into perfect 
> saws as Nos. 3 and 8. 

Please note these instructions very carefully, as simple as they 
are you must get them fully into your mind to succeed. Bear 
in mind, that all the blows are applied on the full places. Nine- 
tenths of your hammering will be on the bare anvil with the 
round-faced hammer. 

Before beginning on a new saw some distinction must be had 
between the terms now in use. Some call an open saw (a s'aw 
with tension in it) a stiff saw, and the more tension or opening 
the stiffer the saw is claimed to be. I recommend a stiff saw 
to be hammered in the body to give it tension, making it more 
open. 

I have men to write that their saw is too stiff or too limber, 
and unless a description is given of the action of the saw, I can- 
not tell whether the saw is too open or too stiff. We will call a 
stiff saw a saw that is firm — that is, will not dish or spring back 
and forth by pulling or pushing the eye. 

An open saw is a saw with a loose center, and the more dish 
or looseness it has, the more open the saw is. So do not get 
mixed up on these terms. 

Accordingly the speed depends on the amount of opening a 
siaw should have. A 50-inch saw at 400 speed, warm mandrel, 
15 H. P., should be a stiff saw, as there is no perceptible expan- 
sion from this small saw at so slow a speed on a warm mandrel. 
(Saw No. 7 showis a Stiff Saw). 

In testing a saw for tension it must be tested as shown in 
cut (Fig. 8). Any other way is deceptive, and and filer who 
tests a circular saw and any other way cannot successfully ham- 
mer a saw. It is true that ridges and full places can be located 
while hanging on hook or while standing on edge. Figure 8 
shows that the straightedge is applied at right-'angles to the 
supports holding the isaw. A variation tof but little from this 
right angle position of the straig'htedge is allowed, and saw 
should be moved for every 6 or 8-inch test. A stiff saw will 
ehow some little light on the radius, as shown in cut, and when 
applied directly across the eye it should rock or ride consider- 
ably, same as No. 7. 

To increase the opening or tension the saw must be hammered 
from near the eye to within 4 inches of the rim, but where irreg- 



MINER'S MANUAL OiF 



ular places are found they must be removed, and it is often nec- 
essary to hammer a saw tbat is in bad shape as close as 2 inches 
of the rim, or closer, and down towards the eye, inside of the 
collar; the saw should be turned over frequently, and do not 
hammer one side too much, or saw will be dished too much. Be 
careful about this. Nothing is gained by trying to rush on this ^ 
kind of work. 

A saw may appear very stiff that has been hammered through 
or set over too much, and when brought back equal it is found 
to be too open. 

Saws that have been hammered into bad shape will perplex 
many good men. Also a saw too long on the rim, that is, so long ( 
that it assumes a winding position, and when rolled on the floor 
it will buckle or change its position. Many mill men run such 
a saw by keeping it hot in the center. To correct such a saw it 
must be hammered in the body, beginning nearer the collar than 
the rim. What is wanted is tension, and to work too near the 
rim would make it worse. Such a saw hammered at first as 
near as 6 inches of the rim would make it worse, while a high 
tensioned saw would retain considerable tension hammered 6 
inches from the rim. 

When la loo'se rim saw is hammered enough to make it stiff, so 
it will ishow a little drop as in Fig 8, then it will be safe to ham- 
mer nearer the rim, and if a 24-inch straightedge rocks or rides 
considerable across the eye, this indicates that the saw is too 
tight near the collar or eye. A 12-inch straightedge will locate 
exactly the tight places. If it rocks across the eye, and at the 
collar line, would indicate that the metai was too tight right 
around the eye, but a few blows here are necessary, and they 
must be light; remember you want to produce a No. 3 saw. If 
straightedge showis tight places about the collar and beyond 
towards the rim, those about the collar must not be touched 
until the finishing is done, then there will be no danger of get- 
ting the eye too open. 

Keep away from the eye until about the proper tension is had. 

A loose rim saw will show no drop under center of straight- 
edge as in Fig. 8, but the saw will drop from each end of the 
straight-edge, under A. and B. 

It is often very difiicult to get solid blows on such a saw, and 
a helper should be had. Many men make mistakes in conclud- ' 
ing tbat such a saw is twisted, and use the long-face hammer, 
only to ruin the saw. Nine times out of ten a twisted saw is 
no more than I have described, a loose or long rim. 

A saw that has been hammered into bad shape and is twisted 
requires an expert to correct it; see "A Twisted Saw and How 
to Correct it." 

Unless a saw is dished to start with, the same amount of ham- 
mering will be necessary on both sides. Do not hammer a saw 
through one way too much, for by the time you get it back 
'Straight, you might have it considerably out; that is, with too 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



much tension. When nearing completion work lightly on both 
sides and get an absolute uniform drop. 

Mark your saw with chalk, always on the high places; do not 
mark a high place and a less higher place that are close together, 
for the high place being hammered down will take the lesser 
place with it. I recommend three (3) distinct marks on a saw; 
one for heavy, next for medium and the third for light, for 
the reason that places in saws are very irregular and it helps 
you to regulate your blows and this can only be done by mark- 
ing saws so as to know whether to strike heavy, medium or 
light blows. 

A fine emery wheel, or piece of emery cloth tacked to a board, 
to scrub or brighten the saw will show exactly where the high 
places are. If you use a "slicker" (which I earnestly recommend 
to those who want perfect results,) mark saw with a blue lum- 
ber crayon, as the scrubbing will not remove the marks. Of 
course, no one would "slick" a saw off and hammer the bright 
spots before using the straightedge on guage to locate the places 
requiring hammering, for every bright spot will not show a high 
pliace under the drop test, ajs in Fig. 8. 

If the saw is stiff, like sheet No. 7, then "slick" it off and ham- 
mer the bright spots, as shown in sheet No. G. When your saw 
lias run down, (that is needs more openng) you can safely "slick" 
it, doing some amount of hammering on both sides, then finish 
with the guage on straightedge. 

SAW TENSIONING. 

The art of hammering saws properly is understood by but few 
in its entirety. Nothing among the arts has made as slow prog- 
ress as saw hammering. This is accounted for in several ways. 

The saw people have long guarded the art as much as possi- 
ble, owing to the trouble it was likely to give them with their 
saws, and only of late years has it been considered that anyone 
out of a saw shop could hammer la saw. Today this has all 
changed, and the man has only to go into a modern band or 
circular mill and he will find saws in more perfect condition 
than they can be put into in the shop. 

It is seldom among the best mills that new saws are re- 
ceived that will do as good work as they can be made to do. 

There has been such an increased demand put upon saws that 
it is now necessary for every filer in a good mill to be able to 
hammer his own saws, and to do it properly too. 

Nothing has as many theories and misconstrued terms as 
saw hammering, and it will be my aim to get these complicat- 
ed terms plainly set forth, so as to be of benefit to the profes- 
sion. 

It will take up the word "Tension," and discuss what it means, 
for this must be understood before it is safe to put one blow 
of the hammer on a saw. All log saws must have more or 



!<► MINER'S MANUAL OF 



r 



dixie: 

Wood « WorKer 

Is the Only Technical Sawmilling and 
Woodworking Journal Published South 

CL Its departments on the care and manage- 
ment of saws, knives, belting, milling and 
planing machinery, engineering and mechan- 
ics, are instructive, and written by experts. 

C We want every sawmill and woodworking 
plant owner or employee to regularly read 
our journal, and give you the choice of six 
liberal propositions. 

^Sffglkf N/^ 1 -.— ^^*>*' 50c we will send 
V/Il^l I^Vr. I •• you DIXIE WOOD- 
WORKER regularly for six months and furnish you free 
of charge one copy of SCRIBNER'S LOG BOOK, con- 
taining various tables for figuring lumber, logs, etc. 

O'ffcl* Ni\ ^ — ^«>^ $1.00 we will 

^^**^» I^V. ^m send you DIXIE WOOD- 
WORKER regularly for one year, and furnish you free 
of charge one copy of the 1905 edition LUMBERMEN'S 
YELLOW PINE AND CYPRESS REFERENCE BOOK. 

C^ff^kf l\I/> ^ — ^o«* $1.00 we will 

^^**^* I^V« %^« send you DIXIE WOOD- 
WORKER regularly for one year and furnish you free of 
charge one copy of HOUSEHOLD EXPENSE BOOK. 

•Subscription Price, $1.00 per Year 



SOUTHERN STATES PUBLISHING CO., Atlanta, Ga. ^ 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 11 



less tension, according to the size and speed of tlie saw. Also, 
this is governed by the power, for a 56-inch saw at 700 speed, 
40-horse power, and the same saw at same speed, 250 horse- 
power, would be two different saws, and yet both are the same 
size, giiage and speed. Tension is the amount of spring, dish 
or opening a saw has. A saw that has no tension is firm; that 
is, perfectly stiff. 

The tension, or opening, must be in the proper place — must 
be uniform — or the saw will not run steady or cut straight lum- 
ber. A 60-in saw at 500 speed, say 40-horse-power; should just 
stand straight while standing on its edge on the floor. If it 
is leaned as much as one inch, the center will bag or drop. If 
bmndrel runs warm, then it should be a little stiffer. What 
deceives more men than anything else is not knowing where 
the tension should be in a saw. They learn that by hammering 
near the rim, the tension is taken out, that is, it is made stiffer, 
and by hammering near the collar or inside the body of the saw, 
that it will give more tension. This is true, but it does not 
signify that when he gets his 60-inch saw, as described, for 
500 speed, that it will cut a straight line, though the tension 
may be uniform, and the saw absolutely true and steady while 
running, and yet it might run out as much as three inches on 
the side of a log; it might be like Nos. 1 or 2. 

BROKEN SAWS. 

Nine-'tenths of the broken saws are caused from irregular 
tension; that is, the tension in the wrong place. Some saws 
are so tensioned that a GO-inch saw, at speed described, would 
have to lean two or three inches before the center will drop, 
and should it be let down by hammering near the rim, to the 
tension I have here described, then it would not run. Right here 
the filer establishes his reckoning, and while his saws do fairly 
well, they do not do anything like the work they would if ten- 
sion was in the right place. I admit that the way some saws 
are tensioned it is necessary to give them more opening than 
recommended, and to correct the error fully, often requires half 
a day's hard pounding on his saw, which is a No. 2. 

All filers that have broken saws run very open or too stiff 
saws, and the filer that has no broken saws does not run a 
saw too open. Only a few years ago, it was considered of little 
import among the fast mills for a saw to occasionally break, and 
among many mills today there can be found as many as a dozen 
to fifty saws broken. Millmen, by more intimate associiati-ons, 
are^ finding out that what causes their saws to break is in the 
filer, and not in the saw. 

True, there are some saws that seem to be bad about break- 
ing around the collar. It may be that this particular make is 
unfortunate in getting into the hands of incompetent filers. As 
a plain illustration of the fogyism in hammering "so near" the 
rim and "so near" the collar ; never do anything inside the collar 



12 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

or near the eye, and not nearer than three inches of the rim, 
they say. Such hammering produces a No. 1 saw, and unlss it 
is hammered nearer the teeth and inside of the collar, right 
down to the eye, no man living can make it run, and if a man 
does not know where the tension should be, it is only a question 
of time until the saw masters him. He then lays it aside and 
gets a new one, and the millman, knowing no better, is imposed 
upon. 

A . saw properly cared for will continue to run better until 
it is too small to do the work. It is a mistake that the steel be- 
ootmes crystallized or rotten, as some claim. I, like the Apostle 
Paul, thought for years I was right in advocating this theory, 
but since "seeing the light," I have changed my theory, admitting 
that I was wrong. 

SAW NO. 1. 

The accompanying drawing, sheet No. 1, represents a saw 
with tension too near the rim, and with the center too tight or 
firm. Figures A and B represents a 24-inch straightedge applied, 
at B on the radius and at A directly across the center. 

This plate does not represent a crooked, uneven, irregular 
saw, but a saw with an absolutely uniform tension, true and 
straight while on the mandrel, and to all appearances is a per- 
fect saw. Yet it will not make a straight line and will run 
out badly on the slab, or side of the log, and will run in after 
the center is passed; it will also heat on the rim and throw dust. 

It is essential to illustrate this because many filers strive to 
get a true, uniform, saw and their saw will not run. What 
causes this condition is the question of ten asked, and I will 
therefore, briefly give the answer, they hold their places very well 
until saws are worn down, whn their troubles begin. 




SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 13 

Saw makers, and all instructors in the art of hammering, state 
very plainly not to hammer near the inside of the collar; this 
is good advice, provided a man does not know exactly what he 
> is doing. As there is not one saw filer in a great number who 
knows exactly where hte tension should be, we must accept the 
saw-makers' sattement as literally true, for a few blows about the 
collar will ruin a saw unless a m'an is well up in his profession. 

New saws usually come right; they may be irregular, but the 
proportion of drop or opening under figures A and B is correct. 
. As a saw is worn down the gumming that is necessary expands 
the rim and reduces the opening under the straigncedge, as shown 
at Fig. 8. To overcome this elongation of the rim it is neces- 
sary to hammer the saw about half way between eye and rim, 
but be careful not to hammer any nearer than, say, 6 or 8 inches 
of the collar (this for many years was my advice). 

The saw performs its work about as well as when new, or 
better, if it has been gotten uniform. Right here is where the 
filer asserts himself, for he has made the saw run well, but 
there is a secret trouble creeping into the saw, and the next 
hammering may bring the saw to a point where it does not do 
so well. The trouble is in the eye and collar; it is gradually 
becoming like illustration Fig. 1. The metal at the eye is be- 
coming gathered, puckered and tight, or as if it had been con- 
tracted, and until it is hammered to overcome this trouble, no 
man can make the saw run.^ 

This condition comes about very slowly in some saws, and 
in mills where saws are abused, a 60-inch saw may be worn 
to a 56-inch without much harm being done, provided the man- 
drel runs hot, for a hot box helps this saw, provided it is not 
too open, in which case the rim will heat. 

As the cut herewith is to serve as an illustration and to give 
the proportions between the A and B test, I will describe a 
saw like this, that it may be more fully understood. A 60-inch 
saw at 600 speed, say 40 h. p.; if it is a No. 1 saw, the 24-inch 
at A will rock fully 1-32 inch, and in extreme cases will rock 
or ride as much as 1-16 inch, while B will drop from 3 to 5 thick- 
nesses loif a postal card. A 60-inch saw at 800 revolutions, may 
not rock ait A, but may fit very near flat, but B will drop from 
5 to 8 thicknesses of a card. 

Such a saw might drop one thickness across eye, and running 
on a cool mandrel, would not cut a straight line. For a safe 
rule, and one that, can be relied on, is to give from one to three 
more thicknesses of card ynder B than under A. 

If the saw runs at a slow speed, with limited power and a 
warm mandrel, one thickness under B while A would rock to 
the extent of two thicknesses. To correct such a saw as tlhis 
it is necesisary to first hammer near the rim, as at 1. This must 
be done on both slides^ of the saw alike, as we are nibft treating 
a crooked or w^arped saw. The hammering sihould be within 
one inch of the rim, blows applied very thifok or close, but 



14 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



solid, reduioing the distance and hefit of the blows wi*hin, say, 6 
inches fnoim the rim. Wbrk both sides of saw until it is about 
stiff; then hammer about and inside of the collar on the highest 
places that a 12-lnoh straight-edge will show, turning saw over 
frequently and hammering ver\^ carefully. When saw sihows 
sufficient tension to dish a little and equal both ways, then 
work the rim; continue this operation until you have gioitten the 
proportion as above described under the A and B test for a high 
speed saw, good power and a cool mandrel; a difference o<f but 
one thickness of card is necessary. 

Do not hammer any saw too much on one side before turning 
it over. 

Thi'3 No. ] saw when corrected will show no light under E, 
which is a 12-inch straight-edge, and for limited power a small 
saw on a hot mandrel it should rock a little also under A test. 
C should show just a little light for limited power and a small 
saw, and with the most drop half way down from eye to rim, 
a perfect saw will be attained. 



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SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 15 



SAW NO. 2. 

We will now discuss saw No. 2, which is quite the revei-se 
from saw No. 1. To gain the necessary information about ten- 
sion in saws it is imp-ortant to study these twe extremes vory 
carefully. Saw No. 2 has too much tension or opening about 
and inside of the collar, while that part of the metal near the 
rim is too tight or firm. It will be noticed that Saw No. 1 is 
the reverse of this, and to remove the surplus tension about 
the collar it is necessary to hammer the saw near the rim sim- 
ilar to No. 1, except that the hammering is done not quite so 
near the teeth. 

Any part of a saw that shows too much sag, drop or opening 
must be hammered near the edge to let it out; this applies to 
circular and long saws. 

There are some men who hammer a saw similar to No. 2 
for a good saw; the result is that the saws are soon cracked 
al around the collar. Others make a No. 1 saw by keeping a\s ay 
from the collar which, as previously stated, is right, unless it 
is thoroughly understood what is w^anted in a saw. I have had 
men ridicule the use of a pad on the anvil for straighening a 
saw that by accident had been turned over the collar. Such 
men soon produce a No. 2 saw by hammering on the anvil. 

A saw will not do anything like the work it ought tO' do in 
this condition, and I have seen some saws on a cool mandrel 
doing very good work in this condition; men of limited ex- 
perience have been led to believe that this is a perfect saw, 
but no man can decide anything like this unless he has had long 
experience and been a close observer. What one man would 
call a perfect saw another would condemn. 

Now to correct this saw, and remove the surplus tension 
shown under figs. A and E, there is a good deal of work to be 
done. Lines 2 to 10 show that portion of the saw muist be ham- 
mered. The greatest amount being done between lines 4 to 
8. Pig. 2 is a line 2 inches from the rim, and as near as 1 inch 
of the rim must the hammering be done before the saw is got- 
ten right, and both sides *of the saw must be worked la dozen 
times or more to get it just right. 

Now, some experts will say that thirty minutes, or an hour 
at best ,is sufficient to hammer any saw. Such men know noth- 
ing aoout a saw like Nos. land 2, and yet every saw that is 
not properly tensioned is somewhat like either of these two 
saws. 

A large mill in Mississippi started up with six new saws, 
and they had a filer at $6 per day. All went well for several 
months, but in about a year the saws were wiom down to 56 
inches and were not doing so well. The mandrel was heating, 
land this helped the isaws, for the filer was one of those men 
who do not hammer any nearer than 6 inches of the center. 
The real trouble was this: — his saws were gradually getting 



16 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



into the condition of No. 1. The mandrel was turned and re- 
babbitted in repairing the mill, but when it started up nfot a 
saw in the mill would run. They then purchased four new 
saws from another saw making concern, and these saws were 
too tight in the eye, somewhat on the order of saw No. 1. They 
would not go, so the saw makers sent their man out, and he 
found it impossible to make them do better. Other mills were 
having some broken saws, while this mill had none; so the firm 
decided to keep the old filer who for mionths had proven his 
ability. When the firm was about at their wits ends to locate 
their trouble, there came along a tramp hammerer, he eviden(jed 
all the signs of a "booze fighter." He said he could handle 
the trouble, and he was duly put on to the job. He took hold 
of one of those new saws, ordered everybody out of the file 





room, closed the door, and in just thirty minutes he rolled a 
saw out. Of course, it would not run, so the mill help all said. 
However, the sawyer put it on and it never made a bobble, cut 
every line alike and it could be h.eard to "holler" for a mile. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 17 



That settled it; he got ten dollars each for hammering the four 
new saws, got on a drunk and was gone. 

The company fired the old filer, and got another man who 
did fairly well, but his saws after a time cracked around the 
collar. After a few years unsatisfactory work, the circular was 
taken '3ut and the band installed. 

The point I want to impress with my reiaders at this juncture 
is that, because one man can hammer a saw that another has 
filed on is no evidence that he knows anything about a saw. 
The hobo filer knew his business, and any man that cannot 
make any sa;w go is not on to his job. 

An extreme case of No. 2 will require several days to get 
it correct, uniform and smooth. 

A FEW WORDS ABOUT EVEN TENSION. 

There are men who know where the tension should be in 
a saw, but they are not mechanics enough to get the saw uni- 
form, and one of the reasons is that they strike too heavy 
or an awkward blow, cutting or denting the saw. 

There are but few men who have smooth, bright, saws free 
from hammer dents or cuts. It is necessary to have a rig that 
a man can handle a saw on easily, and strike every blow solidly. 

Now, after hammering each side of the saw several times, 
there will be but little change noticed under A and E, ard 
many men become discouraged and quit, when in fact they 
are doing the right thing. No man can correct such a saw 
as No. 2 in any other way than as I have directed. The saw 
miay be a high-speed saw, and but little hammering at 2 and 
4 will bring about a great change in the tension, making it much 
stiffer, but this am'ounts to little more than one blow towards 
getting the saw right. 

The illustration herewith shows almost a stiff saw. Now, if 
too much hammering is first done near the rim, the saw will 
become too loose or long on the rim, and will assume a twist. 
Care must be exercised to hammer in the body of the saw, first 
between 4 and 8, and when saw shows too much tension go out 
nearer the rim. This saw, as well as No. 1, must be hammered 
to conform to No. 3. 

Do not jump at the conclusion that all such saws a^s Nos. 1 
and 2 are uniform in tension, and if not they should not be 
hammered on circular lines as shown, or the saw will be ruined. 
The straight edge must be used on every part of the saw. There 
may be spots in such saw as No. 2, between 4 and 10 that are 
open, and if these places were hammered the saw would be 
put in worse shape, and the operator would conclude that these 
directions were not right, as it "would not work in his saw." 
I believe la man must be "cut out" and "not missed in the mak- 
ing" to make a good saw hammerer. Yet with proper instruc- 
tions any practical sensible man who does not cuss too much 
ought to master his saw so as to get more and better lumber. 

Hold your temper, and be patient, and you will more likely 
succeed. 



18 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



SAW NO. 3. 

Having described two extreme oases of a tight and loose en- 
tered saw, we now have plate No. 3. This shows the proper 
propiQrtion or opening for saws, from the smallest power up 
to about 50 H. P., with some modification. 

As plain and infallible as these drawings are some men can- 
not comprehend them. My advice tio these is to seek other em- 
ployment, for if a man cannot successfully hammer a saw from 
these directions he will never succeed. 

Bear in mind that the proportion of drop under A and B de- 
termines what a saw is; suppose a saw has no tension there 
will be no drop under B. While A and B may appear alike, 
but because there is no drop under A does not indicate that 
it must be hammered near the collar; ion the contrary, it is 
rather a No. 2 saw with no tension. If saw is long on the rim, 
A and B. will appear similar to A in No. 1; that is, the 24 
will rock across the eye and also on the radius at B. If A does 
not rock considerably more than B, then it is a No. 2 saw,, 
or would be if it had any tension. 

What is to be forcibly conveyed in this: 




:pmu:m:j 



The proportion under A and B must be considered whether 
there is tension or not in a saw. 

All stiff saws must be hammered near the collar until there 
is sufiicient drop under B to accurately determine its condi- 
tion. When some opening begins to show under B, and A con- 
tinues to rock considerably, then it is evident that some ham- 
mering must be done near at, and inside the collar, if neces- 
sary. 

The utm'ost precaution must be exercised about the eye, for 
a tight eye will not do good work, neither will a loose eye, and 
the extreme of either is a No. 1 or No.2 saw. 

Plate No. 3 shows the moist opening at F, and should rock a lit- 
tle, this is say, for a 56 inch saw running 600 speed 40 H. P. cool 
mandrel, 7 by 8 guage or 8 by 9 guage saw. If mandrel runs 
hot, F should rock more, and have less opening under D than 
C. On such a saw the 24-inch would rock under A similar 
to No. 1, but the opening under B would be only about one- 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 19 



half as much as that in No. 1, it being a No. 7 saw. ^ The saw 
described above would be almost a stiff saw on a hot' mandrel, 
while on a cool mandrel it would just stand straight on edge. 

Suppofse a man finds saws like No. 2, and has not the time 
to change to a number three, he can quit on it with the same 
drop under A as under B, and if saw is uniform it will do good 
work. It should be considered that if it has been run in thi€ 
condition that a slight improvement will help it. The nearer 
a saw is like No. 2 the more dish or tension, it is concentrated 
more to one point; that is, nearer the collar. 

A 60 inch saw at 500 speed would appear by the dish test 
more open with same drop under A as under B than with A 
flat. Filers have trouble with such saws who are not on to 
this. The nearer a saw is on the order of No. 1, the less drop 
or dish it will have. 

Filers are often deceived by going into mills running good 
speed with a comparatively stiff saw, while at same speed in 
another mill saw has tension to lean nearly 45 degrees before 
center will drop. The former ran a similar saw to No. 1 and 
had a hot mandrel; the latter ran No. 2 and had a cool mandrel. 
Mistakes are made in attempting to open saw as much as Mr. 
So and So when the condition of a saw is not fully under- 
sto'O'd. As I have previously stated the filer that runs a very 
open saw, though he may be giving perfect satisfaction, has not 
his saws exactly right. I have known of cases when the filer 
was sick or off and another came in. The cut was so increased 
that the old filer was let go, though up to that time he was 
the best the company had ever had. What I mean is this:: A 
60 inch saw at 800 speed, good power, leaning nearly to the 
floor before it dishes is not a perfect saw, yet some men man- 
age to hokl their jobs, opening a saw ia:S above, running only 
700 speed; such as above; such cannot be other than a No. 2. 

Plate No. 3, A and B, show proportion for saw 650 speed 50 
H. P., 60 inch saw, showing little light under A, while N and M 
show same saw 500 ©peed for 30 H. P. The proportion is the 
same, but one has more tension than the other. 

I will state that from 5 to 7 inch of the rim of all log cir- 
culars must be absolutely true and flat under the drop test, for 
any irregularities near the rim will knock any saw out. The 
higher the speed the more careful should a man be. Some men 
can make saws go very well at 700 speed, 6 tK> 8 inch feed, 
but increase speed and feed and they are out. Same with large 
saws at same speed, bcause a man can miake a 56 inch run, 
does not indicate that he could run a 66 inch. The increase 
travel on the rim is equivalent to an increase in the motion, 
and requires finer and closer work. 



20 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



SAW NO. 4. 

We have sheet No. 4 for fast mills at high speed. 

This saw deviates but litle from No. 3, land this little has 
caused many men to lose out going into a faster mill. In this , 
saw the tension is carried nearer the collar, the rim remaining 
nearly the same. For high speed and good power we must 
have 5 or 6" of rim perfectly true and flat. It is astonishing 
what a trifle variati'on here, will cause a saw to run bad. 

Now a word about a good saw, what would be called a good 
saw in an average mill, would not in a better mill and sio on 
up to the saw of 900 to 1,000 speed, driven with as strong as - 
500 H. P. A saw must take a slab at full ispeed. I am stating facts, 
and in many mills, if the guide is touched but a few times dur- 
ing the day; the sawyer will tell you that the saws today did 
not do so well, they will take the best saw for a standard and 
want all others to come up to it. 




There is no work that is as deceptive and that is as likely 
to throw a man off as is a high speed saw, the variation of the 
thickness of a hair will cause a change that the sawyer will 
notice. 

There are many men that can take a straight edge and make 
allowance for the light under it, and make a perfect saw, while 
others with a guage made for that particular saw cannot do 
as well. A & B show the test as given before. They are nearer 
lalike than in No. 3, but yet there is more drop under B than 
A. In this saw the greatest tension is one-third from eye to 
rim, which would be ten inches on ^a sixty inch saw, from this 
point the tension gradually decreases to within five or six 
inches of rim. 

No. 1 shows a G" straight edge and it is quite necessary to 
have a short straight edge for testing the rim. No. 2 shows 12" 
alm'ost perfectly straight, while No. 3 shows good light and No. 
4 shows the greatest drop in the saw. No. 3 does not show 
much, not near as much as No. 4. Some men open 3 and 4 
about alike, with same light across eye. Such a saw will dish 
much more than if hammered right. Allowance must be made 
for all saws to 'open across the collar, giving them more dish, 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 21 



and until time permits, saws must be worked in this way; as 
it will require about 1-2 days hard work to correct a saw too 
open in the collar. Without a doubt this No. 4 is the best ten- 
sioned saw that it is possible to produce. Only an irregular 
tension will cause it to run bad. 

Amateurs must not take this into practice, for what some 
would call a variation in a saw, another with limited experience 
could not possibly detect. 

All saws should be left a trifle nearer the log ab'out 6" 
from rim on log side, so that an 8" straightedge would show 
a little difference applied to the saw while hanging on the 
hook of hammering bench. Suppose it should exactly fit the 
rim 'on log side, the board side should show a trifle iight. This 
insures saw not running in too much, and a saw should be fin- 
ished on board side. About 6" from the collar this difference 
should be reversed, the log side showing a trifle light, while 
the board side will show a trifle full, and more s'O If the saw 
is thicker at the eye. 

Suppose this precaution is not taken, and lead may not be 
right, saw would have to be lead out until probably the center 
near collar will heat, which is often shown by blue spots near 
the collar. 

All saws should go onto the mandrel istraight with the guide; 
that is the guide and face of collar in perfect line, from this 
point but little deviation can be allowed. It is much better 
to hold a saw a trifle in with the guide than to pull it out. 

A saw hammered as I have directed with lead right will have 
to be held in a trifle with the guide. 



MALLARY MILL SUPPLY CO. 






SOUTHERN HEADQUARTERS FOR 

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MACON, - - - - GEORGIA, 



22 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



THE TIGHT LINE ARGUMENT* 

The theory of one of the best saw makers and some good 
filers is that a brace line, or rather a tight line, between the 
eye and rim produces the best results. While I have gotten 
good results from this tension, I do not recommend it to be 
tried except by men thoroughly posted on hammering a saw. 

Figure 4 shows the most satisfactory saw for the fast mills. 
This tight, or box tension as it is called, is illustrated in figure 
5 herewith. The center of saw under the 12" straightedge 
remains the same in figure 4 as in figure 5. All practical filers 
know that the eye may drop a little more, that is show good 
light under 2 and saw do good work. In Fig. 5 we have more 
opening under 4, the same under 3, but under 1 we have a 
little less drop than under 3, while 6 shows the usual flat rim. 




The A & B test being very similar. It is claimed by some that 
this tension will enable a saw to run longer without being ham- 
mered than by the usual method. Those who claim this give 
a little more tension under 3; and I am also inclined to this 
belief. One thing in favor of this idea is that the saw does not re- 
quire so much leaning opening or dish. A 60" saw will do good 
work having 4.5 degrees at 900 while the usual tensron at that 
speed would lean much more before center would fall through. 

Another method of bracing a high speed fast feed saw is as 
follows: The log side near the collar is offset a trifle, so that 
the straightedge will show saw to be a little fuller on board 
side about 8" from collar. On the log side about 8" from rim 
is the same as described on the board side. Such a saw re- 
quires that the guide be held in la trifle. The board side of 
saw runs constantly against the guide pin, acting as a brace 
or support to the saw. The saw from rim to collar is perfectly 
straight; the slight holding in by the guide overcomes the slight 
offset on log side near rim. This experiment should not be at- 
tempted by a novice, as it takes long experience and close ob- 
servation to even get a saw straight, to say nothing of something 
that is a slight departure from a straight saw. The thickness 
of a horse hair would be too much 'of a variation in this saw. 

All filers should use a guage for accurate work; most of them 
could make their own. There is no filer but whiat at times has 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



23 



a good running saw. Suppose he should make a guage to fit 
this saw and keep it to it, he could keep that saw right for a 
while at least. Talk about close mechanical work; there is 
none of it that requires the accuracy of a perfect fitted saw, 
yet men will hammer saws by guess, using only a straightedge. 
The sawyer never gets two saws alike. A machinist could as 
well make fits of his work by guessing at it, instead of using 
rule and caliper, as a filer would by "guessing" at the proper 
amount of light or opening under a straightedge, and yet by 
years of experience some men actually guess right and have 
good running saws. By this method they say it takes years to 
become proficient, and s'o it does. 

'laere is nothing that has been kept back so much as the 
art of hammering saws, the same tools are used today, with 
but few exceptions, that were used 50 years ago. 

A TWISTED SAW. 

A twisted saw of any kind is usually due to the metal being 
too long "on the edge for the remainder of the saw. This lis gener- 



M 



cir^Sic^ 



Hy-sfr 



/ 



/1 1 



^ \^ 



^ 



24 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

ally the result of long use or gumming, in either a solid or 
inserted ticoth saw. This condition would sooner or later exist, 
provided the saw was not tensioned when it needed it. 

The inserted tooth saw will run much longer than the solid, 
but if properly hammered neither a solid tooth or inserted tooth 
saw will let down soon. 

It is interesting to note the difference of opinion that exists 
between good saw men about a twist in a saw; in fact a twist 
or wind in a saw, caused as stated, is really no twist at all, yet 
the saw assumes a twist, and by rolling it on the edge the twist 
will show on opposite sdes, as shown in cut, fig 9. Nos. 1 and 
2 will show it to be high on the other side, while Nos. 3 and 4 
show it high on this side. A and B show a straight-edge applied 
at right-angles; A shows a high place; that is it will rock while 
B will show straight, or rather light. If this is a twisted saw, 
caused by being jammed, kinked or hammered into shape, and 
it has some tension, then the long face hammer must be used 
in the direction of the long marks — that is straight with the 
•straightest way of the saw, and never across the ridge as shown 
at A. As simple la.s this is, it is hard for some men to understand. 

Never attempt to hammer a twisted saw with the long face 
hammer until you get some tension in it. Many such saws as 
No. 9 are ruined with the long face hammer, when they, in fact, 
only needed tensioning with the round, or dog head, hammer. 

To correct such a saw, it is necessary to begin about half way 
from eye to rim, keeping a little nearer the eye, and work both 
sides a dozen 'or two times, until the blade begins to straighten 
up, and when it shows some tension it will likely show no 
twists or ridges at all. 

The utmost care must be exercised in working such a saw, 
or the tension will be gotten in the wrong place. When the saw 
shows s'ome signs of stiffening up, the straight-edge should be 
applied to determine whether it is resembling a No. 1 or No. 2 
saw, as described in April and May issues of Dixie. 

I have seen men who were good hammerers on saw with about 
the proper tension, but when they got hold of a stiff saw (not a 
twisted saw) it was a different story. The A test is, of course, 
isame as in Fig. 1. He begins near the eye to "open it up," 
not paying any attention whatever to the B test, and the saw 
in consequence, is ruined — or rather put into such shape that 
it requires an expert to correct It. 

It is possible for a stiff saw with no tension to be either a No. 
1 'cr No. 2. A little reflection will show this to be a fact. After 
the saw has been tensioned with straight-edge or guage it may 
show some small ridges, as shown in No. 10. Nos. 1 and 2 show 
small ridges found with No. 12 straight-edge while the saw is 
hanging on the hook. Nos. 3-3 show a ridge clear across the saw, 
extending as shown. This is easily remedied by hammering 
as shown, hammering but little half-way, and very little more 
near the collar and across it. taking care to do the most ham- 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 25 

mering near the rim, but not usually coming nearer than two 
inches of the throats of the teeth. 



/( 



a 







f^70 






•\> 



If this is properly done the tension will not be changed In the 
saw, neither will it change the tension in removing places like 
Nos. 1 and 2. Nos. 5 and 6 show ridges or twists caused by the 
saw being bent 'over or jammed while not running, as in the 
case of the carriage running a log onto the saw while it lis not 
in motion; they are removed as described above. 

No. 6-A shows a portion of the rim cupped or bent over; when 
straight-edge is applied at No. 7 from eye to rim it will fit the 
saw very well until near the rim when it will stand off as at 
No. 8. To apply the straight-edge as at No. 9 will show it nearly 
straight while Nos. 10 and 11 show quite high. 

It Is well to use a block or padded anvil until such a place 
is nearly removed; then use an lanvil. 

Ridges are not located under the drop test and while they 
are easily removed there are few filers who can properly ham- 
mer a twisted saw or keep ridges out of their saws. 

To test a man's ability take him a cross-cut saw that a tree 
has fallen on bending or twisting it and get him to make it run 
as well as before the accident. If he can do it then he knows 



2G MINER'S MANUAL OF 

more about a saw than one in a hundred of the experts and 
professors; bear this in mind. 

Any saw must have isome tension in it before twisits oan be 
properly and permanently removed; and as stated when this 
amount of tension is put. nine times out of ten the twists will 
disappear. 

My next arti'cle will cover my experience with obstinate or 
bad cases. 



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ATLANTA. GEORGIA. I 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 27 

INSERTED TOOTH SAWS. 

New saws from the shop do not always get fair treatment. Some- 
times the maker is to blame for saw not running well, but there 
are mill men who can do more towards runnling la saw than the 
maker. The lead is an important thing to look after. An old 
saw may be running very well, and when a new saw is put on 
it won't go. No one thinks it is the lead, when the truth may 
be the l&aid is badly out, and suits the condition of the old saw, 
and the new saw won't run. Consequently, the mill mian writes 
the saw maker his saw won't gO' — and to prove It refers to his 
old saw doing fine work, only it is too small. Where is the 
tirouble? The old saw would not run well unless it ran hot or 
warm in the eye; the mandrel had lead to suit this saw to give 
it the neoes'sary heat in the center, which the new saw would 
not stand, thlough they gave the order for a warm mandrel. 
There is quite a difference between a warm mandrel and a hot 
centered saw. Too much lead will ruin a new saw quick, while, 
as stated, a stiff saw needing hammering runs very well with 
too much lead. 




A new saw that is too open (that has too much tension) will 
run out on the side of the log, heating the center, and making 
matters worse. This saw will incline into the log after the cen- 
ter ds passed, or when log is squared up. The best remedy is 
to take the holders out and center punch them, as shown in 
Figure 2 at "A." This must be done with holder out of the saw; 
otherwise, it will not have the desired effect. After holders 
are expanded, ais shown, on both sides, the saw will have less 
tension; will be stiffer, and will run better. When teeth do not 



28 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

go in as tight as they should, the upper part of the holder should 
be in like manner expanded, as shown at "C." After holder 
is expanded, and there is trouble in getting it into its place, 
simply tap it with a hamimer, pulling lat the same time on the 
wrench. When holders are already very tight, then expand ' 
only at "C," which will in like manner, expand the rim. 

Tooth "D" shows the usual sityle of tc^oth; "E" shows the back. 
"F" is the proper shape tooth, and will cut 20 per cent, lighter 
than "D." It shows less set than "E," and yet it has more wear- 
ing surface, and will save considerable in files. The saw makers 
ciiaim that "G" has not clearance enough, while it has more \ 
than "E," and will cut, as stated, 20 per cent, lighter, and longer 
wiithout filing. Try it and be convinced. Grind lOut your teeth 
like "F," and reduce the set as at "G," and note the result. It 
is a mistake that an inserted tooth pulls lighter than a solid, 
but they will run lighter than the average solid with proper 
shaped teeth. "F" will not break out. What breaks out teeth 
is, first, not a suflacient number for the feed; second, teeth not 
set into the plate at the proper tangle. Put a straight-edge on 
back of tooth, and if the point of the next tooth is over y^, inch 
lower on a 56-inch saw, and saw is cro'^ded, look out for broken 
teeth. On 48-inch to 52-inch saws, i/j^ inch full is plenty; on 
60-inch saws y^ inch full will be right. If saws have a good 
number of teeth, then the above clearance is too much. An in- 
serted tooth must cut directly against the point, and must not 
Bcrape, and when a new set of teeth is put in, tap the edge 
down a little with a smooth face hammer; that is, turn the edge 
of the teeth down, or in, a little. This will keep the teeth from 
breaking out, and will add much to the life of it. The first 
filing should just remove what is left of this tumed-in edge. 

The ball of the hjolder is at "C," and must cause teeth to go 
in tight, or they will break (or are liable to) and should be 
kept tight. "F" is too slim for frozen timber, but when worn 
about % out its a splendid tooth. Use only round edge files on 
an inserted tl3oth saw. 

TEETH SETTING TO ONE SIDE. 

If holders are not kept tight, this trouble begins early with a 
new -saw. They always set or lean from the log, which makes i 
it very difficult to get good results. I have saws sent me for 
hammering, when the greatest trouble was in teeth setting, as 
shown at "B," Fig. 1. This sketch shows the back of a right- 
hand s)a.w; dotted lines "B. C." show how mnch the tiDOth sets 
out of plumb or out of the log. I have not yet found a man who 
could determine this trouble, but many have resorted to bend- 
ing the saw heel at "D," only ti:> ruin the saw. The whole 
trouble is in the holder; the ball or bearing "A," isoon gets out 
of square by this constant side pressure on the teeth while the 
log is gigging. If saws were filed oftener and not allowed to 
rub the log, then there would be but little ,of this trouble. This 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



29 



side presGure wears the ball of the holder ouit of square, as 
shown at "E" (which is a top view of "A"), the log side being 
the shortest. 

The remedy is to dress the ball of holder square, as shown 
by dotted lines; then tighten the holder, as previlously- stated, 
and teeth will set straight in saw. 

In some cases, I have seen the V in the saw worn to one side, 
in which case it must be dressed off to be equal land in the 
center of the isaw. 

These little details seem to amount to nothing, and so they 
do to the average man, but who wl3uld succeed and make 
more money, will gladly look into and watch these important 
points. . ^1 




Again, some holders are expanded too much at "A," Fig. 2, 
making the holder larger than the circle in saw, resulting in 
holder setting to cne side, which is cauised by the bottom of 
holder not fitting down into the V in the saw. 

Holders that set to one side will clause a saw to run one way 
or the other, for this reason: Teeth often are changed when 
much more service could be had. Loose holders will cause 
tooth and holder to fly out in knots, where, if the holder and 
tooth were tight, only a portion of the tOoth might break out, 
the holder remaining in the saw. 

If a saw is crowded beyond ifts limit, or the speed should slow 
down to a drag, then look out for an occasional broken tooth. 

Those contemplating buying an inserted tooth Baw will do 
well to get the right number of teeth for the work requ;ired, for 
any saw that loses teeth will soon be ruined by the heel of the 
saw being injured. Holders will, in time, become worn so that 
the dust will not all be taken out, with the result that the saw 
heats on the run, and as there are many kinds of wood of vary- 
ing hardness, mill men are perplexed, for, on certain logs, the 



30 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

saw runs poorly and heats oh the run, while the softer logs are 
cut l»ery nicely. This is the beginning of trouble; the holders 
may be removed and ground square, then expanded and replaced, 
and this will give temporary relief, although a new set of hold- 
ers should be had. This trouble is often had in frozen timber. 
If the saw has been doing nice work, and begins to run badly, 
there are but two conclusions to be reached, i. e.: it either needs 
hammering or a new set of holders. 

In putting in a new set of teeth, be sure and oil the teeth, 
and if tsmooth work is wanted, it is oest to side file lightly, then 
under file, so as to make the point the widest part of the teeth. 
Some successful sawyers joint their saw a little when new teeth 
are put in; this is an excellent idea, 'and should be practiced 
on any saw, for the saw may be perfect and round — yet the varia- 
tion in teeth, 'and the fitting of the istem of the mandrel, will 
throw a saw more or less out of round. 

The Solid Saw — How it Sliouid Be Swaged and tlie Teetli Kept 

in Order. 

A saw kept Tound, properly swaged, will come nearer making 
good lumber than )all the hammering that can be put into it. 
This part of the work on a saw is very easily done if the opera- 
tor will apply himself and use some judgment. It is true that at 
times mechainios, in all lines, do not apply themselves as in for- 
mer days. Probably this is due to the prosperous times our 
Southern country has enjoyed for the past few years. 

A saw to swage well, must have uniform shaped teeth, and 
mu!st not be too thin at the point. Many good saws are con- 
demned by too thin a tooth, with little hook, while another man 
is running as thin a tooth with more hook, having no trouble. 
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 sliow various points of teeth swaged. At 
a glance, anyone can see that Fig. 1 and 4 are properly swaged. 
Fig. 4 shows work done by the eccentric swage; 2 and 3 show 
front and back views. Number 4 ishows the front of tooth ready 
to run, and illustrates that a light stroke of the file finishes it. 
If small mills would, put in from six to ten more teeth in their 
saw, and use this swage filed as at 4, and would keep the plate 
in order their bank account would be several hundred dollairs 
ahead at the end of the year. 

For heavj^ feed in our hard pitch pine, the Kinney, lor sim- 
ilar swage, is the best. Figure 3 shows its work. The work is 
done on the top instead of on the front. Fast mills must have 
from eighty to ninetl, and some one hundred teeth in saws. To 
keep the proper shape to teeth, the swaging must be done on the 
top. A thin point, like 4 in Fig. 4, will not stand the heaviest 
feed. I know some will dispute this, but they do not run staws 
on 8-inch to 16-inch feed. Eight shows that the swaging must 
be done right to the end of the tooth. When this style of swage 
is working right, it will mash the center of the tooth at the 
extreme end to a very thin edge, so thin that a pressure of the 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



31 



thumb nail will turn it. If it does not swlage right down to the 
point, las at 7, the tooth will crack or split, a/s shown at 5 in 
Fig. 2. If slaw is soft, then it may not split, but no filer in fast 
mill wlants a soft saw. He wants a medium tough temper. 
Three in Fig. 1 shows the front of the tooth 8, but 2 showts the 
general style of swage from the upper swage. Number 1 shows 
a light comer, such as is made with the ordinary upset. It is a 
very good corner for light feed. 




W5 






t^ 






^ 



^H 



^ 



C^3 



5ZZ 






Few men can use the upiset successfully, land yet it is more 
universally used than any other. If a saw is allowed to run too 
long without swaging, ajs shown 'at 6, the teeth will likely split. 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



similar to 5. If mill men and filers would keep tueir saws round, 
and swage a little, and thiat frequently, they would get better 
raoults from the use of the upset swage. 

I receive saws for repair with teeth like 4 in Fig. 2, This 
tooth is no exaggeration, and of course about half the corners 
were off, and saw y^Anch. out of round. There ought to be a <" 
law passed to prevent some men from attempting to butcher 
up our timber. A saw in such a condition as this, will never 
m'ake a dollar for its owner. 

How much set is necessary is often asked. From four to five 
gauges of set is ample if plate is true, amd has not been ham- 
mared full of bumps. When this is the case, from five to six ^ 
gauges is necessary for the uneven blade to clear. On an 
8-gauge saw, five gauges of set measure exactly ^/i-inch. This is 
the limit on an even, smooth plate, it will run down to four 
gauge; that is, ordinarily it can be filed two or three times 
before needing swaging. 

A 10-gauge saw should not have but 3-16-inch swage, while 
the laiverage band saw cuts 5-32, there being but 1-32 in favor 
of the band. A 64-inch or 664nch lO-gauge saw, properly ham- 
mered, with good power, will cut as much hardwood as the 
average biand saw. 

Any saw will do only poor work with too much set. Some 
men run more than is necessary, while, as stated, others are 
compelled to run more than they want, owing to the poor condi- 
tion of the saw. The teeth shown in Fig. 4 are not side dressed 
and 'Show too much set. 1, 2 and 3 in Fig. 1 show proper set. 

Sawing Logs to Best Advantage and How to Get Straight Lumber 
From a Crooked Log. 

The isawyer is the most important man in the mill, and next 
to him comeii the- filer. 

To get all possible out of a log, to the best advantage; to 
overcome defects, and to make the product in the least time ' 
requires a first-class sawyer, and one man lat a large salary is 
often times considerably cheaper than another who would give 
hiis services giiatis. 

Good judgment must be exercised and he must have a good 
mechanical eye to produce the best results. 

In the sawing of a crooked log, there are several points to be ^ 
considered : first, if it is not placed right on the carriage there is 
a loss in the cutting, and at the same time it is po-ssible that the 
lumber made from the log may be rendered useless on account of it 
springing iso badly. Supposing that 2x4is or 2x6s are to be made; 
the bow, or belly, should be set directly up or down on the first 
line, that is the first line must be as near as possible the straight- 
est way of the log. Turn the first side directly agiiinst the 
knee, then turn down and take off two inches for the edger. 
This will be making the largest dimension of the lumber the 
straightest way of the log, and the lumber will not then be 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 33 

spring-y on its working edges, although it will spring some si^e- 
wise. 

There is no use to tell a millman that a crooked log will not 
spring. Suppose the bow is set against the knees, cir directly 
•^out, so that the first line the saw cuts off will be a belly slab 
instead of a straight one, as I have stated; with two-inoh stuff 
from this log to the edger it will pinch )and bum the saw, and 
when it is finally gotten through it comes out in bow shape, with 
the front end of a 2x4 often a little over 3 5^, for as often as the 
piece is backed out the saws cut out another kerf, owing to the 
pinching or closing up of the ends. 

If this lumber is intended for ulafters, joists or studding 
(which it is used for) it is very diflficult to work, unless cut 
true, for it will make an irregular or bulged floor, ceiling or 
roof, the bowed lumber making it often times necessary to saw 
into the concave edge and drive in wedges to straighten it. 

If logs are to be cut into 1x10 or 1x12 there will not be much 
springing edgewise, but the log is sawn to much better advantage 
by the oroak being turned direetly up or down when placed on 
the carriage. 

In sawing defective logs, the sawyer must be on the alert, 
being careful to turn a shake so as to "bottle it in" if for tim- 
oers; if inch boards are being cut, and the shiake is turned right, 
one board will usually take it out, or otherwise a half dozen 
boards or other sizes may be ruined. 

It is best to saw a log with the butt end fiirst, especially if 
cutting cants or slabbing for a gang, for the "shims" will not 
hang between the Saws, whereas if the butt end was behind 
they would hang badly. 

Sometime ago the author was in a mill when they were sawing 
car sills from logs that were very crooked, and many of them 
would not have made a 6xG, but the sawyer was getting 5x9 sills 
out of them. The carriage had good "boss" dogs, land by using 
the taper lever the log was actually sprung to an almost 
stiteiight position. The sills sprung considerably after being 
sawn, but the sawyer was "onto his job" and the spring was 
mostly sidewise instead of edgewise. The sills were well 
sawn and of even thickness. 

IN SAWING CANTS FOR A GANG, MAKING EDGE GRAIN 
OR RIFT FLOORING, the best results and the greatest per 
cent, of rift is made by first taking off a slab, then a 
board and next a flooring cant; then turn the log 
diown and continue the same miethod on all four sides. 
If you are sawing a large log a 12x12 will be left in cen- 
ter. This can be reduced to an 8x8, which may he sent to th^e 
gang or converted into a sill or railroad crosstie. With this 
style of cutting rift, hardly three-quarters is full rift, but consid- 
ering that time must be saved, the above plan will prove the 
(most isatisfaotory. 



34 MINER'S MANUAL OF ^ 

There are several styles of rift m^achines now on the market, 
or to be put on the market, that are designed to take the place 
of the pony gang, lamd so'me of them promise to be a success. 

HOW OPEN A SAW SHOULD BE FOR VARIOUS SPEEDS 

Good judgment must be exercised lor you will be deceived. 
Do not conclude that a 'saw is opened properly fb-r speed until 
you have aipplied the test. A saw similar to sheet No. 1 would 
not appear near as open as sheet No. 2, and yet both saws be 
opened flchr same speed. I only use No. 1 and 2 as an illustra- 
tion. You want to get the drop right, for what I give here 
-applies to a saw hammered right, and do not let any one deceive 
or contradict this, for I have given it years of test. I will take 
a 60" saw at 800 speed. This being about the standard for fast 
mills. Some mills run 60" 950. A 60" floir 800 cold mandre 
should lean to an angle of 45 degrees; thlait is, lean half way to 
the floor from a perpendicular before center drops. For 700 it 
ishould lean about 18". For 600 it should dislh through at a 
slight lean, say 4". For 500 it shioiuld have a loose center, but 
by no means should it disih; it should stand straight on 
floor; for warm mandrel from 2 to 4" less lean of saw 
For smaller saws at same speed, say 56" for 800, should lea 
about 24" before center drops through. FOr heavy feed, say 10 
to 12", I would reocxmmend more opening than given above. 
For lighter power less opening than I have given. It is poor 
policy to run la saw alt higfh speed with limited power; better 
change pulleys and slow the saw down if you want to make 
uniform lumber. With this description of hoiw open a saw 
snould be, with a description of h<yw a saw will act when at 
work, with too much and with not suflicient tension, I do not 
think you can be mistaken. Remember, this applies to a saw 
properly hammered. Again I must emphasize the use of good 
judgment. Light power requires less opening. A 50" saw at 
400, 8x9 warm ma;ndrel, must be stiff, that is the center not 
shake or tremble; such a saw under A would rock, while under 
B a little light. Take a 60" saw at 900, with 500 ao 600 H. P., 
and it should be laid flat or iaa a horizointal position before it will 
dish. 

If mandrel runs hot give less tension and hammer saw as in 
sheet Nio. 3. The above is often deviated from. I have seen 
stiff siaws run at a fairly high speed, but the bearing next the 
saw ran boiling hot. Such a saw would snake in starting up, 
until heat was applied near the collar. 

HOW THE RIM OF A SAW SHOULD BE 

It is not necessary to argue how the rim should be or anything 
about the viarious theories advanced by practical filers and saw- 
makers. We know that the tension must begin near the rim. 



Hanchett Swage Works 



BIG RAPIDS, MICH. 



PROPRIETORS AND 
MANUFACTURERS OF 



Hanchett's 
Adjustable 
Saw Swage 



AND A COMPLETE 
LINE OF ... . 



Filing Room Outfits 

Automatic Band Saw Sharpeners 
Automatic Rip and Cross-Cut 
Circular Saw Sharpeners, 
Automatic Lap Grinders 
Band Saw Stretchers 
All Kinds Saw Tools. 



NOTES 



The seven pages following are of interest 
to every Saw Filer in the country, and we 
would request that you take occasion to 
read it over and acquaint yourself with the 
merits of our Tools 



The HANCHETT 
Adjustable Saw Swage 



CHE Hanchett Adjustable Saw Swage is an efficient eccen" 
trie die swage. They ard noted tor their great speed and 
easy operation ; the excellent work which they do, simplicity 
of construction, perfect adjustment, and their durability. The 

swage head is made from a 
solid block of forged steel, 
and all wearing parts are 
carefully hardened. The 
dies have several wearing 
places and work in hardened 
tool-steel bearings, which 
may be duplicated at any 
time at a trifling expense, 
thus making them the most 
durable swage made. All 
our swages are made of the 




Size 

No. 1 

No. 8-12 ga 

No. 2 11-16 ga. 



For saws from 
, 5-10 ga., |35 



35 
33 



HANCHETT CIRCULAR SAW SWAGE. 

best material it is possible for us to procure. The dies and 
clamp screws are made of the finest tool-steel, and are carefully 
tempered. The levers and other parts are made of malleable 
iron and steel, and are nicely polished and nickel-plated. They 
are compact, solid and strong. They will not spring or move 
ahead on the saw, but will stay right where they are clamped. 
They are not complicated; while they have all necessary attach- 
ments they have no unnecessary ones. The slotted adjustment 
which holds the die and is connected to the die lever is a very 

Hanchett Swage Works, Big Rapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers Complete Filing Room Outfits. 



handy ariangement. If it is necessary to adjust the die for 
more or less swaging, it can be done to a hair's breadth without 
changing the position of the lever, or the filer can adjust the 
lever to any position most convenient for him, without disturb- 
ing the position of the die. The shape of the anvil also makes 
f^ it very easy to dress, which is a very 

ll important point in keeping any swage 

W in perfect working order. 

^^ €V By the action of the dies the teeth 

l^l^ 11 are drawn out, which refines the steel, 

^^^^ H causing the saw to carry a better cut- 

^^^1 ting edge, thus increasing the life oi 



Hanchett Circnlaj* Swa?e for 
Swaging Saw on Arbor. 

the saw. The tooth is drawn out widest on face — widest at 
extreme points, and makes very strong corners. 

We guarantee all our swages to be satisfactory. If not found 
so they may be returned at our expense. A trial will cost you 
nothing. 

There has always been a demand for saw-fitting attachments, 
and to satisfy this demand we have placed upon the market our 
swage, with the following attachments: A long bench attach- 
ment, or casting of malleable iron, which makes a very handy 
device upon which turned and holds the 

to fit all kinds of ^ saw perfectly central, 

circular saws, and ^. A Cones are furnished 

upon which to op- %^ » that will accommodate 

erate the swage, yk J 

and a jointer for ^^ n Size. For Saws 

jointing or round- ^1 No. 1 5-10 ga |38 

ing the saws. The >||0 ^°- ^ 8-12 ga 38 

saw is held on the ^fS^ No. 2 11-16 ga 35 

arbor by a cone, U^^ No. 3 16-i8 ga 30 

which is accurately ^8^&. 'No. 4 19-26 ga 30 



Hanchett Circular Swage, witfc Bench Attachment. 

arbor holes of any desired size. The swage held in position 
relative to the saw by a pin which slides along the slot in the 

Hanchett Swage Works, Big Kapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers Automatic Band Saw Sharpeners. 



casting. The jointing is done by a piece of the ordinary mill 
file, held firmly in place by set screws and adjusted by a hand 
wheel. It is a simple machine, practically impossible to get 
out of order, and is just what every filer wants to use every day. 
We have sold a great number of this style, and we have yet to 
hear of a complaint. 




For Saws 
...5-10 ga... 
...8-12 ga... 
..11-16 ga... 
.16-18 ga... 
19-26 ga. , 



eaq-^^' 



■$42 
. 42 
. 38 
. 35 
35 



Hanolictt ( ir< iihir Swafro, nith Bench Atlaobincnt and Jointer. 



The HANCHETT 
Band Saw Swage 



This style is designed especially for use on band, band 
resaw and gang saws. 

When used upon a gang saw a fork is furnished that has no 
forward projection, thus making it more convenient for swag- 
ing the last teeth at lower end of the saw. 

We wish to call special attention of factory men and all 
users of small band resaws to Nos. 2 and 3, which are especially 
adapted for saws ranging from 16 to 26 gage. The swaging of 
these small resaws is a very delicate and important process. 
The swaging may be done by the use of the up-set or spring set, 
but filers find the band resaw swage much superior to either. 
It draws the teeth out widest on the face — widest at the extreme 

Hanchett Swage Works, Big Kapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers Automatic Rip and Cross Cut 
Circular Saw Sharpeners. 



points, and makes exceptionally strong corners. They may be 
used upon teeth 34 inch long or onger. It is adapted to all 
ordinary shape of teeth and gives sufficient swage without the 
use of the upset. The Hanchett Band Swage is noted for its 
great speed, ease of operation and the excellent work which it 




llaiiohett Baud Saw Swage. 

does. We are always glad to send them out on approval, guar- 
anteed to be entirely satisfactory. If not found so they may be 
returned at our expense. A trial will cost you nothing. 



size. 
No. 
No. 1 
No. 3 
No. 2 



PRICES. 

For Saws 

. 8-13 ga |35 

.12-16 ga 35 

.16-18 ga 28 

.19-26 ga 28 



Hanchett Swage Works, Big Rapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers of All Kinds of Saw Tools. 



The HANCHETT 

Swage Shaper 



Expert saw filers are coming more and 
more to use the swage shaper for side 
dressing purposes. This is especially true 
of band saws, until now a swage shaper is 
considered indispensable for fitting them. 
Upon considering the very successful use 
of the swage shaper upon band, band re- 
" ' saw and gang saws, 

has led us to place 
upon the market a 
similar tool for side 
dressing log, shin- 
gle and small cir- 
cular saws. The 
side dressing of 
saws has much to 
do with the suc- 
cessful cutting of 
good, straight, 
smooth lumber. 



Hanchett Band Swage Shaper. 

The Hanchett Swage Shaper completes the work of the saw 
swage, and presses every tooth to a perfect shape, as in a mold, 
widest on face— widest at extreme points, thus making an 
ideal shape and a perfect clearance. This is accomplished by 
a pair of hardened tool-steel dies, one upon each side of the 




PR.I C£ 



No. 1 8-13 ga. 

No. 2 12-18 ga. 

No. 3 16-22 ga. 



For Saws 



.|25 
. 20 
. 20 



Hanchett Swage Works, Big Rapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers Complete Filing Room Outfits. 



tooth, which presses it to any desired gauge. The dies are 
accurately ground and beveled in two ways, so as to taper the 
saw tooth downward from the point and backward from the 
face. The dies are set in plugs which are forced together by a 
screw running through them, having a right-hand thread upon 
one end and a left-hand thread upon the other. The dies may 
be easily removed from the plugs by means of a punch, and 
reground at any time by the filer. They have several wearing 
places and require no gauge to regrind them, simply an ordi- 
nary emery wheel. All our swage shapers are made of the best 
material it is possible to procure. The head is made from a 
solid block of steel, hence no loosening and slipping of bolts 
and nuts. It is bored accurately to accommodate the easy 
working of the plugs, which are also made of a fine grade of 
steel. The levers and other parts are made of malleable iron 
and steel and are nicely polished and nickel-plated. 

They are compact, solid and strong, and are noted for their 
great speed and ease of operation, the excellent work which 
th y do, simplicity of construction, perfect adjustment, and 
their durability. The slotted circle with which the dies are 
connected to the lever is a very handy arrangement. The oper- 
ator can adjust the lever to any position most convenient for 
him to operate; or if he wishes to change the spreading of the 
dies, even to a hair's breadth, he can do so without disturbing 
the position of the lever. The shaping is done by one lever, 
the other handle being put on merely for convenience in hand- 
ling while operating. Adjustment to any 
gauge may be quickly and accurately made 
by means of the knurled nuts. 

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of 
the whole tool is the tooth-stop. It makes 

Size. For Saws 

No. 2 12-18 ga |20 

No. 3 16-22 ga 20 




every tooth take the same 
position on the dies. Hence 
every tooth must be shaped 
exactly alike, therefore ev- 
ery tooth must do the same 
amount of work. This sug- 
Combinatlon Shaper for both Band g^sts an easy running saw. 

and Circular Saws. smoother and better lumber 

and less power to run it. The great speed with which the 
Hanchett Swage Shaper is operated is due chiefly to the form 
of this tooth-stop. 

Hanchett Swage Works, Big Rapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers Automatic Band Saw Sharpeners. 



Another handy arrangement which appeals to every filer 
and practical mill man is the way in which the Swage Shaper 
is used upon the circular saw. The shaper being attached to a 
standard and the standard fitted to a pin in the same manner 
as a circular saw swage is used upon a saw. When the shaper 
is to be used the saw swage is removed from the pin and the 
shaper placed thereon. 

The Hanchett Swage Shapers are extremely rapid to oper- 
ate ; they will dress from 30 to 40 teeth per minute on circula/' 
saws, and from 60 to 75 teeth per minute on band saws- 

We are always glad to send our swage shapers ^ 01. appro- ' 
val, guaranteed to please and to be entirely satisfactory in every 
respect. If not found so, return them to us at our expense. A 
trial will cost you nothing. 




( 



Hanchett Circular Swage 8baper. 
PRICKS. 

Size ' For Saws 

No. 1 5-13 g» $25 

No. 2 12-18 ga 20 

No. 3 16-22 ga 20 

Hanchett Swage Work^,^ Big Rapids, Mich. 
Manufacturers of All 'fCinds of Saw Tools. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



Knowing this, there are many who carry the drop loir opening 

out to the rim or nearly so. This is wrong. Under the drop 

test (remember I give and neither do I recommend any other 

$ than the drop test), you must hae a portion off your rim flat. 

easion it out. You have your saw supported on a line directly 

-^ss the eye; the rim where you apply the test is overhang- 

the be9,rng or supports that hold the saw. Ndw, is it not 

•dory tl o '^.rim tends to hang down a little? You apply 

your 6" straightedge on a line of the supports of the saw, and 

the rim drops right up to the teeth, while at rif ht angles to the 

supports you have a pcirtion of the rim flat. 

HOW MUCH OF THE RIM SHOULD THERE BE FLAT? 

This depends upon the speed of saws. A 56" saw at 900 
should have 5" of rim flat, for 800 6", for 700 7", foT 600 8". 
For a 60" saw at 900 5" of rim must be flat. All saws, at the 
Btandiaird speed given, should have about 7" of rim flat. Then 
the drop begins there and increases, as stated in shee No. 3. 
The rim of saw is yet a puzzle ta many good men and some 
sawmakers. If I were not in a mill cutting from 12 to 18 boards 
per minute on 12 to 14" feed, I would not be qualified to make 
this laisisertion. The aboive can be deviated fro ma little and saw- 
make good lumber, but where the tension is extended nearer the 
rim or near the eye, there will be a change noted in the run- 
ning of saw. Be very careful and keep the rim flat; any full 
places on this part of the rim will malve a saw run biaidly. I 
bave seen good men lose their position by using a 12" straight- 
eidge on rim instead of G or 8". The 12" not 'showing the full 
spots near the rim that the shorter woifld. This was ion a fairly 
nigh speed saw. When the rim of la saw down 8 to 12" does 
not wear bright and uniform, it is not right, but has tight places, 
as stated above. Do not hammer nearer the rim than 2" unless 
it is a No. 1 saw. 

SAWS TURNING OVER THE COLLAR. 

This is caused by too much lead, or slaw tioio open around 
.collar, like No. 2. Saws will never break if lead is kept right. 
Of course it must be hammered rig*ht. If saw wears bright right 
•down to collar, it is a 'sutie sign of too much lead. 

HOW GUIDE AND MANDREL SHOULD BE. 

Guide must be as high up as possible. Run a sihoirt pin on 
log side laai'd raise guide until blocks will just clear. A differ- 
ence lof 1" in a guide will make 10% better running saw. Try 
it. Mandrel must be set 'so that top of blocks will be 1" above 
•collar on small mills and "" above on fast mills. I admit it 
takes a little off the saw, ) at here is (another impoirtant point 
often overlooked. I emphasiLe that yiou watch all these points. 
It means your success where others have failed. 



36 MINER'S MANUAL OF 



THE LEAD OF A SAW. 

A straight gauge isaw on a good mandrel with good carriage 
and track requires but little lead; one-thirty-second in width 
of siafw is ample. A simple way of testing the lead is to slack 
both guide pins while saw is in full motion. Hold a small stick 
firmly on headblock. Now mioive carriage up; let saw tip the 
end of it and when the back of saw is reached it should just 
clear. This is simple, quick and infallible, provided track is 
stnaight and no end motion to carriage trucks or track. In set- 
ting a mandrel the best plan Is two ines drawn at right angles. 
Set tlie mandrel square with track and give the necessary lead 
when ready to start up. Try your lead ocdasionally ; it is as- 
tlonishing how a good saw will run with tlie lead badly out. 
Don't conclude that as it was set right a few months back that 
it is yet so. It will often change from uniacoountable ways. A 
saw should not be forced with the guide as much as 1-16"; 1-32" 
is allowed; that is, move the guide 1-32" from a straight line 
with collar. It is of the utmost importance when saws are 
changed to see that guide is on la line with face of collar. A 
30 to 36" straightedge should be handy to apply on face of col- 
lar when changing saws. Any good carpenter can make one 
from a dry piece of 1x3, if he has la good true-faced foreplane. 
Another way: use a tram, and let thes aw be the tram. Mark 
a tooth at the guide (both pins being free) measure from block 
to this tooth, now turn your saw i^ back and measure at same 
tooth; there should be 1-32" to 1-64" difference. The saw acts 
as a tram.. Be sure slack in carriage and block is forced one 
way and you will get it correct. In this way any noiDoi hour It 
can be tested. 

DOES YOUR CARRIAGE RUN ON A STRAIGHT LINE? 

Your track may be as straight as a line and yet carriage vary 
to laind from the saw. It is not an uncommon thing to find 1-4 
variation caused from side motion in carriage, wear in the 
grooved trucks or fnom a sprung axle. The latter is often the 
cause of much trouble. 

How to test this. Draw a line above your carriage directly 
over your grooved track. If your wheels are flanged, get the 
exact center between the rails, either measurement can be ob- 
tained accurately with a good lumb-b>ob. Now hold a rule or 
secure a stick to carriage that will just clear this line and 
mvoe carriage up and down the track and you will be suirprised 
at how much your carriage varies, and all this is ag'aii^t your 
saw, as saws are not made for side strain. Get your measure- 
ments accurately and you will have it to 1-32". As much as 
1-8" out will not alDow a band saw to run, and I have seen cir- 
culars doing good work 3-8" out. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 37 

HOW COLLARS SHOULD BE AND HOW TO TURN THEM IN 

PLACE. 

This is important. Most of the small mills have cast collars 
and if saws have been abused and broken on them they are 
surely out. Apply lan accurate 8" straightedge and you will 
see that the outer edge of the collar does not hold the saw. 
This causes the loose collar (which seldom gets out) to tend 
to force the saw over. This is not all. Such collars are out of 
true and cause the saw to wobble. Turn it loff right where it is. 
Run engine as slow as possible, having taken out all end play, 
take an old 14 to 18" file and break the end as near a diamond 
shape as possible and grind to sharp point without heiatting it. 
Rig a good wooden rest; remove lug pins and let rest be close 
to collar and solid. Begin now and mark the face of collair 
where isaw binds, as though you were cutting la fine thread. 
This is the only way that any one can get it true. After mark- 
ing face all over, except near outer edge, have aniother file 
ready with end square ^aoad ground straight. Use this to face 
off with. You should leave about 3-4" flat and the remainder 
concaved 1-32". If the square tool is held in right positilon you 
will do a better job than half of the macfhine shops. Do not 
undertake to sorape it off true before using the diamond point 
or ylou will ruin your collar by it gouging into it. Make the 
fine marks with diamond point, using judgment as to how deep 
to go, and with square tool scrape but little. Hold both tools 
steady, which is easily done with a long handle. The loose col- 
lar should be about siame as the fast collar. Be sure that the 
metal is clear about the lug pins. This is too often overlooked. 

WHAT CAUSES YOUR LUMBER TO BE OUT OP SQUARE. 

The poor sow, sawyer and filer get lots thlat they are not 
entitled to. How often do we see hot-headed foremen or su- 
perintendents after them, w(hen they ar not in the least to 
blame. I give the following, that they may show them the 
trouble and retain themselves-. In the smaller mills the pro- 
prietor usually embnaces all the above. 

The side of a carriage next to the saw carries more weight, 
which causes everything from the track up to the face of the 
block to wear faster — t!he tr*ack, trucks, axles and face of block. 
The latter with steel face is of but little importance. The down 
strain of the saw while cutting causes some of this, and the track 
will usually be found lower near the saw than anywhere else, 
and when the level is applied to- test this be sure that the heaid- 
block is lat the guide, foT if you try it with carriage back it 
might show to be level and be 1-4" out at the saw. When 
carriage is lotw next to saw no man can cut square timber. It 
may not ishow on anything smaller than 10", but timbers for 
export must be right, as lall kinds should be. A good saw will 
not stand running out to make timbers square. Better level 
up head-block and saw mandrel. 



38 



MINER'S MANUAL, OF 



MISTAKES MADE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TEETH IN A 

SAW. 
Saws usually do not have sufficient teeth, land yet they have 
in some cases too many for the shape they are in. I avdise to » 
run all the hook you can, just so the back will clear. In this 
way you can run 15 teeth to every inch of feed in hard wood. 
Don't run a great big open throat; 3-4 to 7-8" throat is ample, 
and when yiou ordeff an inserted tooth saw get No. 2^ or edger 
teeth for hard wood and our Southern pine. Then you can get 
more teeth. A 2" throat in a saw is absurd. By running more 
hook our saw will cut lighter and will cut a shaven or chip 
and will not 'sciriape the dust out. Do not let any one tell you 
otherwise. I held to that no hook theory for ten years and 
have long since been converted. It works on )a'll speeds, feeds 
and power with all the hook you can inin. Yiour saw will last 
longer and will stay sharp longer. You can run a much thinner 
tooth, which will s-\;\^ge better. 

CUT-OFF TRIMMER AND SLASHER SAWS. 

The most abused and moist neglected saws in the mills, con- 
eequently more broken. What breaks them is too little set, too 
dull and the work twisiting lamd binding, or pinching the saws. 

In the accompanying cut the arrow shows the direction saw 




is running. I is the general style of tooth, A shows a tooth 
where little filing is necessary, B shows the best tooth of all; 
the front is square beveled cm the back, where the work cannot 
be snatched; this tooth will run twice as long ais any other 
without filing. B is a reverse of D and is not any good. C is 
the practice of some and is only la tooth for lots of filing and 
IX)or service. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



39 



CRACKS IN CUT-OFF SAWS. 

When j^ou hear a saw making a thrilling noise, examine it care- 
full3% and a gentle tap with a hammer wiill also toll if it is crack- 
!i3d. Drill a hole at extreme end of crack, and cracks arrested 
in this way before they get too far will not injuire the saw. 
If in a hurry and can't d/rill it, do not run it, but center-punch 
the crack on each side and if it is a shallow crack, Yz" to 1", it 
will run for isome time before it extends. 

Be very careful in punching a saw; if it is not solid the orack 
^will extend while punching it; caused by vibration, tliat is, by 
"^blow not being solid. 

Saws that cannot be conveniently gotten to an anvil can be 
punched by backing a heavy hammer agiaiinst it. A little pre- 
caution along this line will save many dollars in saw bills. 

Be very carefuh that no hard sdale or cas6 hardened Burfaoe 
remains, or teeth will surely break in setting. To set a saw use 
the coirner of your anvil, or your siwage bar and a one pound 
hammer for 10-gauge s^aws. 

A trained eye and a little practice will keep the proper set 
and will make smooth lumber, without gauging the teeth. If 
you have not a well trained eye, you need another vocation. 

THE USE OF THE EMERY WHEEL. 

Figures one, two^^ and three show regular Btyles. Figure 2 
shows a wasteful, reckless method which is practiced by many; 
it shows the back scooped or cut out too much. Such a saw will 





wear out twice as quick as a tooth like Figure 1. Figure 3 is the 
b€e(t tootli for an automatic shiairpener, it shows exact size of 



40 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



tooth in a 60", 80 tootli saw. A is tlie swage for the heaviest 
feed. B is a good hardwood swage, also suitable; for frozen tim- 
ber, it has but liWJe set. 

Before gumming a saw it should be rounded up, then take th^ 
end of a file and make a circle the depth desired and gum to this 
line, making the back a nice uniform oval; as in Figure 1. 

Figure 2 shows how much filing can be done before it needs 
gumming again. This tooth is the style for sm'all mills having 
but one saw and wishing to run as long as possible without 
gumming. 

For a saw to last it must be gummed as near back on th^ 
periphery or circular line as possible. Remember th*ait large, 
wide gullets will not do, tooth must not be filed too much on 
back, or they will soon get too slim ; besides, a tooth like Figure 
2 cannot be run with much hook. Run all the hook you can, 
but be sure back clears. 

Buy a good wheel or none at all; buy from a reliable dealer 
and tell him what wheel is to do, and if he should fail to send 
the right grade, don't use it, but write him; for he is honest and 
will send you what you want. 

A wheel that hias too clear a ring when you tap it, is too hard; 
a soft wheel has a dull sound. This test is made with wheel 
suspended on one of your fingers, not tight on a mandrel. 




Run wheel at right speed, say 1500 for a 12" wheel. If It 
bums some run it slower, for it is too hard or too fine; if it 
makes more dust than sparks the speed is too slow or wheel 
is too soft. HIaird wheels are not so liable to break, but a soft 
wheel win not stand much above 1500 for safety, unless mounted 
on a very steady mandrel, all wheels should be run on one, buit 
more frequently not so. Keep wheel clean. About ^ dozen 
washers on the end of a bolt make a good cleaner. Above all 
things keep it true. Any wheel not properly used will get ouit 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 41 

of round, and no one can do good work on it 

On the hand grinder saws should be sharpened, and no file 
used. This is in mills with a change of saws, and I venture the 
^fiisertion that not one in 50 of these macliines are used as they 
should be. 

Don't buy wheels from every drummer that comes along, but 
get a good wheel and stick to it; always send the tag found on 
the wheel and you will get the same wheel. 

Be very careful to remove all the glaze or hard scale that 
the wheel tniglit leave, especially if it is a hard wheel or if it 
*needs cleaning; it will cause cracks and also squiare comers of 
teeth to break. Watch these vital points. 

BAND LOG SAWS. 

In these instructions I will give a rather brief, but practical, 
treatice, and will not go into the primary teaching, for it is out 
of the question for an inexperienced man to learn completely 
from any book. Practice with the proper theory Is what Is 
wanted. A good circular filer will have no trouble in mastering 
the band. Those who would learn band filing should get into 
a file room as a helper and work up; then buy what books he can 
get, read ail he can and do not get fixed on any one theory or 
plan; It is astonishing the differentmethods of fitting band saws. 
As Much in the Sawyer as in the File. 

Some sawyers cannot run any kind of a saw and often 
good filers are imposed upon and let out by some reckless fool 
of sawyer who will "hit them" too liard, feed by jerks, and does 
not know enough about timber to feed the saw right. They will 
feed as fast in a hard log as in a soft one. Let me say that in 
all classes of timber it varies; the butt end is the toughest and 
the smaller the log, the tougher it is in any wood. 
There Ought to be a Treatise for Sawyers. 

Sawyers should keep the guide pins adjusted, the filer chang- 
ing them when necessary. The filer is not expected to be there 
at every change of saws. 

The Carriage and Track. 

The carriage and track play a most important part; good true 
lumber is what is wanted and no saw will make it unless car- 
riage and track are in line.. Those sawyers that pound the 
carriage with the steam nigger never make good lumber. They 
knock track and off-^set out of line and keep loose motion or 
end-play in tracks, all of which makes bad lumber. All may be 
lined up nicely today and knocked out of line in a short time. 
Worn Carriage Wheels and Bearings. 

Worn Carriage Wheels and Bearings will make timbers out 
of square. As the carriage wears more on Saw, or log side, the 
base of the blocks should occasionally be leveled np, as they 
soon get out of square with the saw . 



42 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

Lining the Wheels With the Track. 

Stretch a line directly over the center of V (rail, being sure it] 
is straight (the track) and level; use plumb-bobs; next draw a' 
line in front of mill as close to wheels as possible, this line i^ 
iait right angles, or square with the first line. Be sure that 
(the lines are exactly square or at right angles. Next, drop two^ 
plumb lineis so as to be exactly the same distance from line! 
and in front of and at the edge of the wheels; now measure 
accurtately from line to edge of wheel; set them^ very near 
square, in an 8 ft wheel 1-32 lead is right. Line the upper^ 
wheel the same. If plumbs are hung in water they will remain 
steady. If edge of wheels do not run true, then this plan will 
not do, but use the centers in upper and lower shafts. In this 
caJse no cro&s or right angle line is used. 

The Guides and Pins. 

m 

The Guides and Pins are very important. Metal is not the 
best; even babbitt metal will case-harden a saw in spots, 
Boiled hickory in oil is the best, or any hardwood. The piae 
should be kept over the boilers in a can of oil; kept lais hot 
can be and the longer they remain in it the nearer they will 
be like horn, which if could be used makes the best pins for 
any guide. 

Keeping the slivers out is quite difficult with some guides. 
The whole width of the saw should be filled, so as to leave no 
space for the accumulation of b'ark, slivers or splinters. 

Balancing the Wheels. 

This can be easily done. Take some lead, size of a pencil, 
press it around one of the arms at rim ; if wheel runs no better 
change it until there is lan improvement; then add another, and , 
so on, until wheel runs perfectly steady. Weigh the lead and 
procure weight and attach ismoothly to prevent laccumulating 
dulst. Band mill maketrs will laugh at this idea, but it works 
and saves shipping wheel back to factory for no ordinary shop 
can balance such a wheel. Grinding sometimes causes them 
to be out of balance and often the best mills are not accurately 
bialanced. Keep wheels clean inside and free from dust. ^ 

The Mill Right We Now Go to the File Room. 

A well lighted steady room is necessary. G<x)d machines and 
tools kept in order. Keep dust out of all bearings on grinder 
and don't fail to keep rollers oiled occasionally. In fitting up 
a saw it is all briefly summed up in uniform smoothe work. 

No saw will run irreguHairly fitted. Please stop right here and 
think what this means; it means an absolute uniform tension 
and in the right place; saw equal on both sides; a uniform tooth 
and swage with comers alike and the extreme end or point sharp 
and keen. Then with the mill right the saw will run fine. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



43 



HAMMERING AND ROLLING BAND SAWS. 

As stated a good circular man should make a good Band filer. 
^The Band is not as intricate as tlie Circular, but is more delicate 
and will not stand abuse. In cut Fig. 12 E. D. and F. are three 
illustrations. Each saw has about the same opening and if you 
cannot readily detect any difference in them you are not the 
miain for the business. E. is a saw that will tioi Tun at all. It 
will snake, shift and slip on the wheels, dodge at the head of 
. the cut and simply will not take our hard pitchy pine, while in 
^ nice soft pine it might run fairly well. Please notice that the 
drop does not go out to the edge as in D. under 2, which shows 
that on a 10-inch saw one land a half inch from tne edge i's actual- 
ly tighter when strained on the wheels than tne edge; that is 
the edge is the longest. You can imagine the result of such 



2 



c%/2 



a saw. This saw will require considerable rolling ot hammer- 
ing to get it right. It should be stretched first one inch from 
the edge, then gently one-half inch from edge and then a little 
one and one half inch from edge. At 1, under E. such condition 
i'S plainly shown, the straightedge almcst touching the saw 
near the edge. Should the saw yet be too open open the edge 
gently until you can get a drop like F." If such a saw as B, is 
very open in center it miay be stiffened up first which is a good 
plan. Then proceed to open up carefully. Do not try to get the 
required opening at once, but work the saw carefully near its 
width, uising judgment, so that when you get the required opening 
fhe saw will drop like F. at 3. D. shows lesis opening in center 
than E. and more opening out near the edge. This saw is liable 
to oilaick, and is not a good saw; should it not orack, it will not 
hold its tension well. Remember that a 12in. saw like E. will 
Gnake though it ma}^ be iso open a's to not remain sitraight off 
the wheels. 

Some good filers run their tension a little nearer the tooth 
edge and get good results. This is la good plan, but it requires 
more rolling to keep the back up, or right. 



44 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



Testing Band Saws for Tension. 

They are tested the same as the circular; tlijuc Is by sagging > 
and applying the straightedge ajs shown in cuts Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. 




SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. _45 

Fig. 1 shows a saw with tension; Fig. 2 shows a stiff saw with 
no tension, or rather shows the edges to be longer than the body 
of the (saw. It must be hammered or Tolled from within 1" of 
each edge, increasing toward the center. 

^ By reversing this test; that is by bending the saw down and 
applying the straightedge on the outside of the circle instead 
of inside as shown; the conditions are reversed, that iis a slaw 
with tension will fit like 2 while a saw with no tension will 
show like 1. After rolling saw go over it carefully by this test 
with the hammer to remove what short places may show; then 
revel up on block or slab. 

What Causes a Saw to Crack. 
D. shows a saw that will run well, but will crack on the edge. 
E. will not crack, note the difference in the opening under 2 and 
3. D. shows the tension carried too near the edge. E. shows 
the tension not bo close and shows that a strip of metal li/^ in. 
wide will sustain, the stiialn, the edge being a trifle tighter than 
what it is li/^in. from edge. The center being just long enough 
to not vibrate, for should center be too long saw will run out and 
in, but will not snake. Extreme cases of E. will crack on edge 
from vibration. It is not necessary here to refer to the common 

, cause of cracks on back and front edge, but ^ few cautious re- 
marks may prove of benefit. Be careful not to case harden 
throats. Do not let emery wheel cut so heavy as to warm the 
edge, or it will elongate land cause the saw to raise to the wheel 
heating and case-hardening the throats. If saws are abused and 
forced back against the roller, the back edge m^y become hard- 
ened in place's, this is overcome by placing a piece of soft emery 
wheel against back of saw when mill is running slowly. 
The Utmost Care. 

I Must be exercised to get saw of uniform tension. Words are 

! not sufficient to express thiis important fact. A Band saw may 
■*oe compared to a chain; if all the links are good but one, you 

j see plainly the result. A space of but !a.n inch of unequal ten- 

I eiion is sufficient to cause a crack on edge. 
Cause of Cracks in Center. 

I This i's not of frequent occurance, but the center will crack if 
too open. Crowning wheels will cause saws to crack in center. 
fX mill with no lead requires a saw to be hammered into log, 
and with crowning wheels the result is a bending of the saw in 
two directions. If wheels are crowning I would advise more 

I lead than recommended, iso as to hammer saw as near striaight 
and flat as possible. Care must be exercised to keep saw true 
and free from lumps, for lumps will case-h|airden. If you doubt 
this take your file and a-ttempt to dress such spots while saw is 
on the grinding wheels, and you will find that it tends to slip 
and will not take hold as it will on a part that is not bright or 
polished. Do not conclude th|at a bright saw Is hardened. It 
should run bright its whole width. It is the spots that should 



46 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



be guarded against, especially where metal lining is used in > 
guides the whole width of saw. The guide should be only at 
the two edges with the center clear where metal is used. 
Amount of Set Required. 

Hard or frozen wood should have less iset than tough fibrous^ 
wood. Two gauges on eiach side of saw is plenty for average 
sawing, and a saw that is nicely side dressed and is free from 
lumps may be run with less in hard or frozen timber. In soft 
fibrous wood 2i/^ gauges should be used, bwage a long taper 
S'Wlage. No man can run a Band saw tnat looses its corners. 

On Swaging Band Saws. n ^ 

The Eccentric or "Grass-Hopper" swage is in the most general 
use. Keep the die or anvil that rests on the top of tooth as 
close to the under die as possible, so as to not bind it, then it 
will swage clear out to the end. If corners (aire to slim, and 
you have no under dies suitable for thinner teeth, your only 
remedy is to run a thicker tooth. 




If Teeth Crumble on Edge. 
It is because they are to slim, or there has not been sufficient 
gtrinding on the front teeth. A tooth should oe stifC enough 
that when brought to an edge it will stand. A tooth with less 
hook muist be a thicker tooth to stand; with plenty of hook (a 
thinner point will stand. (See diagram of proper shape teeth 
and swage). Fig. 13 and 14 show exact size of proper Shape 
tooth. In some cases a little more hook miay be run. I prefer 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 47 

a rather stiff tooth for two reasons: 1st, a slim tooth will cauise 
a saw to dodge around hard places in a log and make a man 
change his tension when there is nothing wrong, especially if 
teeth are a little too long. Teeth shown nave ample dust room 
> for the heaviest feed; 2nd, a stiff tooth can be swaged to better 
advantage. 

Fig. 14 A. shows a tooth swaged as a tooth should be; any 
i^.er who swages otherwise with a large gullett, will soon have 
teeth too slim to stiand. B. shows a straight line on back show- 
ing the point hooked over. The first grinding the wheel touches 
only at A. directly on the point. A 1-32" face is ample and tooth 
will stand, as the wheel will not grind to within %" of the point 
on the back. With this thin point back is not too high and tooth 
will not crumble. Should the back be ground up to the point 
at least 1-16" face must be on front or tooth will crumble. 

The die will make a better and stronger finish on the back 
than is possible with wheel or file. This style of swaging saves 
a saw and will enable a filer to get one more run on his saws. 

All the late 'swages will pull the point down, the point muist 
not be pinched off, but brought tO' a feather edge; but little 
facing is necessary. Use no file, but let the wheel do all the 
work, reeth that nick or crumble are not right; they should 
come off dull, but with a smooth edge. A good swage is over 
half the battle. Swage teeth so as to conform as near as 
possible to the shape you want, then the pressure side 
dress will not squeeze the metal sufficient to km it. Good re- 
sult's laire had -by using the side dress on 2nd run. 
The Use of the Rolls. 

Set your roller perfectly square with wheels. Use true wheels 
and ix)llers to carry the saw around. Be very careful and not 
stretch the saw too much in one place or you will find it wind- 
ing OT dished. Use them carefully and only sufficient pressure 
to accomplish what is wanted. First go over the saw and 
mark the places needing opening. Make straig*ht mark for 
tightest places, slightly crooked for less opening and zigzag 
marks for the lighter work. If the rolls will not feed through 
straight but vary on the slaw, either the rolls in the machine 
ane not right, or the rollers that carry the saw are not in perfect 
. line with the stretcher. After rolling isaw go over it on leveling 
table, which should be a slab of iron. Level up p'rinoipally with 
the cross pene hammer. I hiave said nothing about using the 
cross pene in removing twisted places. 

Twists in Band Saws. 

This bothers many men. There are long twists and short 
twists in saws. The long twist is hard to locate and requires 
the utmost care, using a long straightedge, as such twists run 
so near piarallel with saw that a short straightedge will not 
locate it. Put saw on leveling table, which should be mounted 
on nice rollers; use about a 24" straightedge, applying it along 
the saw aJt right angles from one edge of saw to the other; 



48 MINER'S MANUAL OF 



apply it both ways or at right angles. When you locate the 
twist the straightedge will show a variation. Now use your long 
face hammer on the saw in the direction in which the straig"ht- 
edge showed the straightest or most light. 

Cut Fig. 16 shows twisted places in a saw at various angles. 
The most work is to be done neiar the edge and must be done 
on the leveling block for the anvil would take out all the tension; 
E. shows a bent place which should be forced or bent back, as 
described further. 

It is an easy matter to remove a twist in any saw. This is 
simple and lapplies to all twists in any saw. Never use the long 
face across a ridge but parallel with it. 



^xy 

\ 
4^ 



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These long twists come from various causes. If the hammer 
is used much for tension the face may not make a round spot; 
it will in time put a long twist in la saw. Short twists usually 
extend at about 45 degrees across saw and are easily located with 
12" straightedge. Do not attempt to correct a twisted saw be- 
fore tensioning it. 

Suppose saw gets jiammed and comes off the wheels and 
assumes something like a figuTe 8; roll it and there will be no 
twist when tension is restored. Saws pulled off the wheels often 
get short bends in them. Use a lever and a pry and force or 
bend such places back, being careful to set your piy same ajs if 
it was the long face hammer. 

The Kinds of Hammers. 

The doghead of about 3^ lbs. weight and cross face of same 
weight are necessary. The X face for removing twists. The 
doghead for leveling up on table or anvil. A good anvil should 
be at end of leveling table. You must not cut or mark the saw. 

A lumpy marked up saw will not run well. 

The tension may be right, but it will develop ©racks and 
will not make good lumber and will wear guides very fast. The 
bright spots often develope cnacks in center. 



SAW HAArMERlNG AND FILING. 



49 



Polish Your Saws. 

Take a smooth block and attach a piece of fine emery cloth; 
hold It hard against saw before taking it off on both sides. 
Lumpy saws will show the bright spots plainl> 'and they should 
be hammered on the leveling block unless very prominent, — 
t'hen on an anvil. This should be done occasionally on any saw, 
as it will be a great help in keeping saw true and smooth. This 
block of emery dan be as well used on the leveling table if 
d'Sired. 

Do not mark your saws if you want to keep out of trouble. 

There is as much in a smooth saw as there is in proper ten- 
ts ion. Do not make a spot on yooir saw that can be felt with the 
finger. You can run less set which means more feed and 
less work in keeping saw up. 

Grinding tlie Wheels of a Band IVIill. 

Sett machine perfectly square with shaft in wheels and not by 
the track, as it is possible for mill to be out of line a little. 
Emery wheel must run true and neat in bearings or wheel will 
be ground lumpy. 

Dress wheel occasionally with a good dreisser; grind perfectly 
straight across and run mill as slow as possible; should mill 
run out of balance, balance it las directed.. 
Speed of Band Saws. 

About 8,000 to 9,000 feet for hardwood and 9,000 to 11,000 for 
soft wood. The more teeth the slower should saw run in hard- 
wood. 

Amount of Tension. 

About 45 degree circle is the standard. Some men run ap- 
parently less tension than others; it depends on how they have 




their saws tensioned. Some run a tigu- center line and open on 
each side of this; this would mean a comparatively stiff saw. 



50 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

Fig. 15 shows how to correct a crooked edge. The front edge 
seldom gets too short; it gets longer, and the back must be 
kept up with it by rolling or hammering near .-.e back edge as 
at A. In 6 feet saw should show about 1-64" full on the back; 
some run a straight back. 

DOUBLE CUTTERS. 

To the man who is well up, this saw i's easier kept up than 
the single cutter. There is no surplus rolling of the back edge 
tO' keep it right, as in the single cutter. Tension the siame on 
both edges and the utmost care must be exercised to keep it the 
same, or it will vary. 

When saw varies on wheel, — that is runs back, it is a sure 
sign of metal being too tight beyond the teeth, as shown at 1 
in Fig. 12. 

Wide saws require to be wia.tched more closely in this respect 
than narrow saws. The double cutter should have a trifle more 
hook; mill should be perfectly square with track and must be 
watched more closely than the single cutter. 
Don't Do These Things. 

Don't carry too much strain on your saw. If at shift's or slips 
on the wheels it is in the condition of E. Don't run your s'aw 
too far off the wheel. It will not stand up well and will tend to 
snake: V^ inch over the edge is right. 

Do not run saws too far back, and be careful in putting them 
on to tighten in right place, or the burr from the emery wheel 
on the saw will chafe the edge of the wheel off. Do not lallow 
your saws to get bumpy. Keep them true, and the right set will 
act as a guide, while bumps will heat and change the tension. 

Do not let the front edge get too long. By watching saw 
closely you can readily tell its condition. The back should be 
1-64 fulfin 6 feet. 

Do not get back edge too long, or saw -will run back badly. 
Keep the saw right and wheels in line, and but little cross lining 
will be necessary. 

Do not let saws run too long before giving them attention with 
roll's and hammer. 

Remember This. 

If a saw is to be kept perfect, it will require a little attention 
often for as often as the emery w^heel grinds the throat, so 
often is the tension slightly changed, wliich will always be found 
irregular. So it is necessary to apply gauge often and correct 
this unequal tension, and your saws will not be run down before 
you are aware of it. A good anvil should be set in leveling ta- 
ble, and all short places that show to be unequal under the 
sag or drop test, should be removed on the anvil only. 

Do not hammer places that laire found in the saw while flat ion 
the leveling table on the anvil, but always remove them on the 
leveling table. 



___^ SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 51 

Da not attempt to level any saw before you correct the ten- 
sion. The leveling is the last process. Do not carry too much 
stuain on saws. Remember -this. That well fitted saws run 
with lese strain than poorly fitted, and when more strain seems 
necessai^^ examine your saw carefully and you will find it getting 
into the pondition of E. 

Do not run at a speed sufficient to cause mill to tremble or 
shake; better run at a less speed and get better results. 10,000 
feet is a nice speed on a well balanced and well set mill. 
Brazing Band Saws. 

There are several compoisitions used in brazing band saws, 
what is In general use is (C. P.) Chemical Pure Muriatic Acid 
and Borax. A word about the latter. There are different grades 
of Bonax, and only the best pulverized grade should be used. 
Some prefer to parch or bake it. Others apply a small portion 
of ordinary slate, finely powdered. My preference is the acid. 
The secret of a good braze with any flux, is the absolute clean- 
ness of the laps. In using the lacid have everything ready; solder 
in position; irons cleaned of scale; then apply the acid and 
irons immediately. If the acid is allowed to act upon the steel 
and ferment, the braze may not be good. You cannot apply too 
much acid and you cannot apply too much pressuse. Loosen 
the screws that clamp the saw after the irons are tight and see 
that back remains against straightedge. An orange red is bet- 
ter than a Cherry red. Use heavy iaons, a little wider than lap, 
with the edges rounding. Keep them true by rlres'sing often. 
The above applies to all widths of saws. Use good silver solder, 
and do not waste time with brass and blow pipe, which will harden 
in spots if pressure is not applied. Let me caution you to watch 
this process carefully, for once you get it right, you will use no 
other way. Tension a braze same as the remainder of the saw. 
If braze bends w^hile hammering saw, it needs hardening. 
Small Band Saws. 

These saws require special care. The secret in this saw iis a 
nice uniform set, teeth set near the edge, and not down into 
the blade 'as is often done. This demands a good set. Keep 
the back open 'so as to keep saw straight. Saws from 1" and 
over in width the tension should be watched, and do not hammer 
directly on the back edge but 1-3 the width the saw, hammering 
very gently 'towards the center. A saw that is toO' long on the 
edges will show the edges to be loose or flimsey when tightened 
on the wheels. A saw that shifts or rums against the roller Is 
too tight in center, or too long on edge. A careful observer can 
soon detect a loose edge in a saw. The front edge being too long 
throws the strain on the back, just the reverse tO' what is wanted. 
On s'aws 2" wide and up the straightedge may be used. First 
spring the saw to a short cuTve and apply it inside the circle 
or curve. If the edges of the saw are too long they will show 
light and the straightedge will show a full place in center but 
when saw is straigtLt will not show this defect. In this case ham- 



/ 



52 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

mer or roll tihe center gently. All saws up to 2" wide 
should (sibow to be straig-ht across under tlie sag ar 
drop test, and any saw, if only l^^" wide, shows s change 
under the drop test, it must be hammered. A siaw too 
open will show some light in center. Remember they should be 
flat. Remove all kinks on a block, but the tension must be cor- 
rected by stretching the saw on an anvil or roller. To apply the 
straightedge opposite to what I have stated will show the condi- 
tion in a reverse form. To be plainer if the straightedge is ap- 
plied as on the outside of a hoop, a tight center will show some 
light, w^hile a loose center will show the isaw full in center. 

These remarks on the small band saw are no more than what 
any band filer knows, but as these instructions will go into the 
hands of good circular filers, a little information will be of benefit. 
Use only round edge fileis on sm'all band saws, and be certain that 
you do not mark the saw, when hammering it. 

The secret of small saws is in the tseitting and filing. Keep 
saws sharp. It is a tedious job to care for such isaws, but if 
^ood results are to be had, care must be exercised. Do not 
file square comers in throats of teeth or saw will surely crack. 

Band Re-Saws. 

They are treated same as log saws, but being thinner require 
(much more drop or tension. Prom 25 to 35 foot tension is used 
on a 6" saw. The thinner the saw the more tension. Do not 
run a tooth "^ as long in length as on a log saw. Short teeth 
mulst be run or siaw won't go. Plenty of hook and if dry lumber, 
but little set. On a 20 gauge saw, the No. 16 should fit it; on 
18 gauge the No. 14, and in green, spongy wood a little more is 
necessary, while on bone dry wood, and a nicelj' fitted saw less 
can be run. 

Eight inch saws require 'a less drop or tension; say 30 ft circle 
for 18 gauge and 40 ft for 16" gauge. The greatest care must be 
used in fitting the teeth and tension. They are very delicate and 
only a mechanic of p'atience can succeed. This is true with any 
band saw. 

It is astonishing the amount of work a good well fitted band 
saw will do and the filer that is well up has no trouble in m^aking 
from $6.00 to $10.00 per day for a few hours work. 
Hardening or Tempering a Braze. 

There are several plans, but the best is to remove the irons as 
soon as the red has disappeared and apply cold irons a trifle 
wider than the brazing irons; tighten under pressure and let re- 
main until about cool. If the proper heat is left in braze this 
will prove to be the best method. It depends also on the size of 
the irons for if the heat does not run low enough and irons are 
too heavy; the braze will be miade too hard and saw will crack. 

By long use braze may become soft; the same process will 
harden it. In this case heat irons hardly to a red heat; this will 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 53 

not disturb the solder and when saw gets hot remove and apply 
cold irons. This should be done in the clamp, as the heat will 
buckle tlxe saw worse out of the clamps. 

GANG SAWS. 

This saw is little understood and is the greatest lumber maker 
in la mill, if properly kept up. The saws are not the most im- 
portant; but the oscillation and overhang of the saws is of first 
importance; next to' this are the saws. 

Inese illustrations herewith show how to set the oscillation. 
This applies to any oscillating gang, aind because it is not in 
accordance with the special directions with each particular ma- 
chine, do not conclude tha;t it is not right. 

REASON IT OUT. 

Saws should cut on the diown stroke and the cut will com- 
pensialte the weight of the sash, and will make the machine 
run steady; while out of the cut it shows to be out of balance. 
Should Slash start down before sawis bake the cut, then there 
will be a pound in the machine and I have seen the oscillation 
monkeyed with until the sash would be V^ diown before saws 
took the cut; then it sounded as though the machine was coming 
out of the mill. In such cases the saws tend to lift the cantis 
on the upper stroke, same as if not enough oscillation. 

AMOUNT OF OSCILLATION. 

Counting at the biottom of the cut, the amount should be 
enough more than th© feed so that on the ascent of the sash 
there win be clearance lajs shown at Fig. 2 at A. (dotted lines 
show the saw cut) and Pig.. 1 shows that the sash has just 
begun to desioend and is entering the cut at B. Should the sash 
descend but little more than paist the center before saws 
enter there will be la pound, wWCh will be hard on saws, as 
well as on machine. 

Pig. 3 shows that saws are just leaving the cut as at C. If 
too little oscilliation is had, saws will bring up considerable 
dust; there not being clearance enough at A, Pig. 2. 

HOW TO SET THE OSCILLATION. 

This Is infallible; put a 12" board, say 2" thick, in gang as 
shown; have' the rolls down tight as shown in cuts land with the 
feed on, now turn gang, by hand and watch just when saws take 
hioJd and When they let go; if they let go too soon at A, Pig. 2, 
then there is too much osiciillation. ,Puit the 2x12 on outside saw 
and run engine as slow as possible, land watch closely; you can 
easily see its laction. Once set right, mark the eccentric, or 
crank, so that, should it slip of be moved you can readily Bet it. 



54 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



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SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 55 

THIS IS IMPORTANT. 

See ithiait the lOiscililation is right or the gang is no go. 

SETTING THE OVERHANG. 

The amounit of overhang should be la little over 1-16" to every 
foot of saw; a 36" saw should have from 3-16" to 1-4", accord- 
ing to the amount of feed. Remember that a variation lOif 1-16" 
will show in the run of the saws. Overhang in the saws lalt the 
top being that amount ahead of the stiles of the sasih. Set saws 
in square and plumb, using gauges on back to get siaws uniform. 
Set new saws well black, so the strain will be as near the front 
as possible. 

FILING GANG SAWS. 

File and swage same as band saw, but teeth must be closei 
and less hiook; from 1" to ly^" space is used. Some filers run 
as much as 4" to 6" hook in width of saw; others run nearly a 
stnaiigiit tooth. Now if gang is istrong and well kept up, and you 
want lots of lumber, then more hook. 

But on the other hand, if blocks are allowed to run loose on 
the horns, and loose connections, by all means do mot run much 
hook or saws will "grab" or "reaoli" and will lalmost wreck the 
machine, — ^especially in our Southern pitch pine. 

If it happens that several pitchy, fat butt-ended, logs come 
togetheir, then any gang will jerk, and fthe feed should be slack- 
ened until the 2nd roller is reached. 

There are few foremen who have sense enough to knofw that 
a gang will not run smooth in all kinds of timber, which our 
southern pine represents. A few hard logs, and over to the filer 
tlhey come. A few, however, have sioime reaison; — No wonder the 
majority of filers are irritable. 

The amount of set on a 14" gauge saw; No. 8 is the proper 
swage. In frozen timber No. 9. In some oases there timber is 
soft and frozen a little leiss is run. 

If you want (saws to stand up on la long run use No. 7 on 14" 
gauge, land the more hook the longer they will run, and the miore 
feed tihey will carry, — provided machine will stand it. 

Do not attempt to upset agang saw or your name will be 
"Dennis"; use a good under ©wtage, isame as a bian'd, or a top 
swage if you wish. 

HAMMERING GANG SAWS. 
Open them more, one^hird from thrpoiats lof teeth to back 
edge, land do not give tension enoug'h to dish. Open up to tabs,; 
ana if it (ilsi a madhine with a buckle thaJt draws fnoim the center; 
it lis immiaterial laibout keeping back straight, as with a band 
isaw. If la roller is had, then you can expand the back edge to^ 
keep it straights I have 'had 8" saws sio loose on the back: 



56 MINER'S MANUAL OF 

edge that after being keyed up I oould almost spring them to- 
gether, while the front was as rigid ajs could be. Those saws 
were 1-16" concave in their length on the back. The tenaioo 
was, as stated, near the teeth. Watch the tensi/cm. They cain 
get tight near the teeth amd will not run no matter how open. 
Gang saws do not need much tension, if put in right. 

WHAT CAUSES SAWS TO SNAKE. 

Not suflBcient set; too much or not enough overhang; oscilla- 
tion not right, — 'and principally mot enough tension, or it is 
not in the right place. 

CANTS RUNNING TO ONE SIDE. 

Saws not in square, or plumb; rollers not in line, and saws 
not striking the timber right. Follow these directions carefully 
and you will have no trouble. I have seen the time I would have 
cheerfully paid five times the cost of this book for this informa- 
tion alone. 

SHINGLE AND HEADING SA\VS. 

These saws do not require much hammering if taken care of. 
They lare so mudh thicker in the center that speed and gum- 
ming does not affect them as much as other saws. 

Large heading saws must have plenty of tension; some saws 
as large as 72" run 1000 revolutions and require considerable 
tenson, but such saws are rare. From 40" to 60" is the size 
for heading. They range from 8x14 gauge to 7x12 with 90 to 
120 teeth. 

It is easy to determine whether saw has suflBcient tension. 
It will "clip" or run down or out on hard blocks, and up or into 
the block on soft blocks; and will particularly follow the grain 
and heat on the rim. 

A siaw that is too open will act similar, but will not heat. 

HAMMERING HEADING AND SHINGLE SAWS. 

They must be remoed from the collar; the amount of tension 
they shoud have all depends on speed and size of saw; a 72" 
at 1000 revolutions could hardly be pulled through. A 60" at 
1200 revolutions should lean about 45 degrees. A 40" at 1800 
revolutions should lean about 6", while la 36" at 2000 revolutions 
should lean about 2". This same saw ;at 1600 revolutions per 
minute should just stand straight and not dish, but will have a 
loose flabby center. 

Owing to their heavy center, a i2" straightedge should rock 
a little across the center of any of them and the greatest open- 
ing half way out to the rim, and from this half way point the 
tension must decrease, so that from 3" to 4" of the rim must be 
perfectly flat under the dno-p test. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



57 



HOW TO HAMMER. 

Use la "slicker", a fine grade of emery w^heel (suc/h as sawis 
are gummed and sharpened with) ; scrub the saw all over to 
within 3" of rim; now hammer a gentle, but solid, blow on all 
the bright spots to within 4" of center. Begin on straight side 
of saw; turn isiaw over and scrub the other, or flange side; ham- 
mer as before land dontinue until saw shows some tension. Be 
careful and don't hammer much nearer to the rim. 

Now your straightedge, 6" or 8" or gauge comes in. The flange 
or collar part can be worked under the straightedge, but the 
taper part cannot; it must be worked on the strtaight side. Test 
saw as in Fig. 8 and places that show too much light 
or drop should be marked underneath; that is under the 
saw, while 'suspended as in Fig. 8. This applies to the taper 
part of the saw, for it can be tested only on the flat side; when 
saw is turned over scrub and. hammer the bright ispots at such 
open places. The straight part of the saw can be tested and 
hammered in the usual way. Now some will ridicule the idea 
of scrubbing the saw; however, such men will not succeed a;s 
any other way meanis a lumpy, irregular saw, and it won't run. 
Emery cloth can be tacked to a board and used in place of a 
fine emerj^ wheel. 

SMOOTH UNIFORM WORK NECESSARY. 



More so in this saw than in any other. He who strikes too 
hdavy and not a solid blow, and cutis or dents his saw, has al- 
ready faJiled, — ^so sure will he make a failure. 



TO REMOVE TWISTS. 



After getting isaw uniform and perfectly straight hang it on 
the hook and mo^ve iit sJcxwly and note any ridges, remove tiiem 
as described with large saws. A place that is off or shows light 
sihould be marked and hammered gently on the taper side, and 
dom't come nearer than 2" of rim. If ridge show® to extend 
night out to edge of saw, the edge (should be ligMly hammered 
with a piece of thick paper on anvil. 




Figs. 1 and 2 show tests under a 20" straightedge; B shows 
the proper opening while A shows a tight center. With the 
right tension, A should show a little light, wOiile a 12" should 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



sihow a trifle rock. It is a mistake to open clear acix>ss, same 
imder A as under B, Saws that do not taper much, siay 10x16, 
then the 12" might show a little light. The tension must begin 
quiciv from 4" ot center to half way; then a gradual taper to 
within 3" or 4" of rim. 

THIN SAWS. 

MufSt have more teeth, and a higher speed, in which aase 3" 
of rim must be flat under the drop test, which these tests in 
Pig. 1 and 2 are to ishow. Use a 6" straightedge to finish up 
and pass 3" of it over rim to determine how it is. 

It is a mistake toi extend the tension light to the edge, as 
saw will not run. Use the round fiaice hammer 3i^ or 41b. weiglit. 
jLiie long face to remove twists. .Saws are often run so long 
without hammering on a, warm mandrel, that when they are re- 
moved from the flange they asisume a twist; such la saw under 
the B test will show full, exactly like A; or a saw that is very 
stiff will sihow B to rock a little. Such a saw is not twisted and 
only requires to be opened up in the body. Any saw that shows 
the test lais in Fig. 1 and 2 must be hammered, first near the 
center, then as near as 1" and 2" of the rim. It is too light in 
center and must be hammered right around the hole. 
..Go slowly there or you might get center too open and spoil 
the saw. It is possible for the tension to be all O. K. in a saw 
under the B test and it have a tight center; it will be necessary 
to hammer near the rim and let out the surplus tension. Study 
carefully Saw No. 1 and 2 on large circulars. 

HAMMERING THE COLLARS. 

This can be successfully done as follows: — first, locate the 
part of the edge that is down, or off, !atnd take a isbarp ball pene 
hammer and hammer gently the taper or under side. The dents 
will expand the outer surface and will force the edge up. Be 
careful tbat flange is solid on anvil, land by no means strike 
heavy or it might be broken. Some use a center punch and 
dress off the burr. 

DON'T SEND IT TO A SHOP. 

Nine (times out lof ten it will be spoiled by being thrown out 
of balance and but few sihops can properly balance a collar. 

Follow these simple directions and you cannot go wrong. 
Apply straightedge often and stop when collar is gotten perfect- 
ly flat, or the edge up a trifle. 

Never laittempt tloi hammer a saw on the collar; if it is out 
of true, insert pieces of paper at the low places and in this way 
the rim can be made to run truer, but when the tension is 
wrong nothing will do but to restore it by hammering. 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 



59 



Remember that a few blows lightly applied will help saw and 
that a few too heavj^ and in the wrong place will ruin a saw. A 
stiff tough tempered saw will require several hours work tJo 
correct it, unless you are experienced in hammering. 

When saw is finished it isihould be a trifle low in center. For 
single block machines 1-64" low when tightened onto the flange; 
the center should be that much lower with a straightedge clear 
across slaiw. On double block machines saw shiould be very 
near straight, with a little more than given on machineis cutting 
only from one side. 

PROPER SHAPE TEETH AND SET. 

Figs. 3 and 5 show teeth and swage. Fig. 3, A. B. C. and D. 
show various swage or set as used. D. is the full swage and 
many use this; it gives lots of work. I recommend more teeth 
and a set like A, or for soft timber B. will do. A. is a tooth 
that is occasionally up^set a little. B. is a tooth jointed moi^ 
frequent than A. C. shows the result of not jointing siaiw. 
Only on a thick saw with ample power will it work. In fact, 
the point tapers from both (sides. Some g)3od filers twist their 
teeth a little, giving a clearance like under filing; this is ex- 
cellent and when properly done will almost plane the shingles. 
Fig. 3, A. B. /and C. show various teeth; A. is the result of run- 
ning too long before gumming. Don't be surprised at loosing 





some teeth by (square coimers, especially in a knot. Better gum 
a little more often. B. shows the proper sihape; It is short and 
stiff, with ample clearance for dust. C. is too long a tooth; it 
"Will tremble and will not hold its set, nor will it do good wiork. 
Where 80 to 90 teeth tare used on 14 gauge saws, a tooth % and 
in isome cases % long can he used; on 16x18 gauge Vz to % 
long. ThiiS is measuring on front .of tooth to bottom of gullet. 



60 MINER'S MANUAL OF 



Set saw as near tiie point as you can, and rem'ember that a 
thin tooth will not run or hold its set. A double swtaige can be 
a thinner tooth than a set tooth. 

For hand machines, ho»ok should be a little nearer rim than 
half way. For power machines about half way is right. Keep 
dust out of pully or it Will throw it out of balance. 

SMALL SAWS. 

Are hamimered straight and stiff. Test them the reverse of 
the drop test, by center resting on edge of anvil and opposite 
edge under a support. Now beiar down on front edge of saw. 

A saw that is long on the rim will show light under straight- 
edge at A. and B. Hammer in the body of the saw, so as to 
expand the steel until it will show very near straight under this 
test, then your slaw will be a;s stiff as a board. This test must 
be given re-sawis or siding saws, for they can get long on the 
rim, yet be stiff and will n:ot run well. 

CONCLUSION. 

It is expected that every man who receives this book is in- 
terested in improving himself and his saws, and to simply glance 
at the different subjects and to then proceed in a reckless mari- 
ner means failure. 

The filer who gets the best pay is the man wlio does the 
least amount of work. Its by practice, and constant study, that 
la man in this day succeeds at anything. You mu/st keep up. 
There are several thousand men who indorse my theory of hajn- 
mering and keeping up saws; but some "know-all," "bum," or 
"booze-fig'hter" condemn my method; don't listen to them. None 
of us know it all. 

I have been studying saws for 30 years and don't know it all 
and never expect to. 

Men are acquiring more knowledge in Ml lines, and the man 
Who claims to know it all is watched. This book contains the 
proper theory on saws. You probably can easily understand the 
princdples of tension in a saw, but putting it into a saw is some- 
thing else. You need practice laind patience. 

These fellows who "flyoff" and "kuss" around do not amount 
to anj-thing, and are setting bad examples; they never succeed 
and are always finding fault with men who are trying to. 

After every word is memorized on the subject, and you do not 
fully understand, then write me, I will cheerfully answer any 
question, free of charge. Address 

J. H. MINER, 
Lumberton, Miss., U. S. A. 

This work is protected by 15 copyrights. 



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ure contents of lumber bills; besides it Guarantees the Ac- 
curacy. 

THE ONLY DEVICE OFFERED THE LUMBER 
TRADE THAT IS PRACTICAL 

Over 9,000 calculations. Can be instantly referred to. 
PRICE S4.00 EACH, POSTPAID. 

FURNISHED BY 

SOUTHERN STATES PUBLISHING CO. 

ATLANTA, GA. 



HOUSEHOLD EXPENSE BOOK 

The simplest and most complete method ever, devised 
for account keepiag by thrifty and economical housekeep- 
ers. Tells at a glanceyour daily, weekly or monthly ex- 
penses for each item of the total. Also keeps tab on all 
"Cash received," etc., and saves disputes as to its disposi- 
tion. 50c a copy, postpaid. Furnished by 

SOUTHERN STATES PUBLISHING CO., ATLANTA* GA 



SAW HAMMERING AND FILING. 61 

LOCOMOTIVES 

BOUGHT, SOLD. 
RENTED AND 
REPAIRED. 




Our Specialty is Locomotives of the Style 
and Weight suitable for Logging Pur- 
poses, and we are always prepared to 
furnish you Locomotives on Rental, or 
will make outright sales at lowest figures 
or on best terms. 



Our Works are the most complete in the 
Southern States, and we guarantee Loco- 
motive Repairs to be satisfactory in 
every particular. 

We are also extensive manufacturers of 
Logging Trucks, and would be glad to 
furnish you illustrated and descriptive 
matter, together with our Special Quo- 
tations. 



SAVANNAH LOCOMOTIVE WORKS 
AND SUPPLY COMPANY 

SANANNAH GEORGIA. 



G2 



MINER'S MANUAL OF 



J. H. MINER SAW WORKS ' 

LUMBERTON, - - MISSISSIPPI 

Manufacturers gf 

SOLID AND ^ A ^M/C 

INSERTED TOOTH OJ\ W O 

Prepaid on Trial. 

Guaranteed the Very^ Best and at a 
Living Price. 

OOUND SECOND-HAND SAWS 
^■^ taken as part pay on a new saw. 
Your old saw made into a chisel tooth 
saw at less than half the price of new^, 
and just as good as new. Send us your 
repair work. We want saws that others 
have failed on. W^e repair all kinds ; do 
everything to a saw but re-temper it. I 



(5===^ 





^■•'■^Kl?^ 



SAW HAMMERING AND FIIJNG. 





• • . \JSE^« • • 

Knight and Class 
Patent Saw Mill Dogs 
=^ FOR— = 
Quarter and 
Plain Salving 



Class Patent Inserted 
Tooth Circular Saws 
best for any kind of 
timber. 



CANTON SAW CO-, MTrs. 

Canton, OHio. 



Lombard Iron Works and Supply Co., 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. 

Fotindry, MacHine and Boiler ^VorKs 
and Mill Supply Store 



Engines, Boilers, Bridges, Roofs, Tanks, 
Tower and Building Construction, Cotton, 
Saw, Grist, Oil, Fertilizer, Cane and Shingle 
Mill Machinery and Repairs; Building, 
Bridge, Factory, Furnace and Railroad Cast- 
ings; Railroad and Mill Supplies; Belting, 
Packing, Injectors, Fittings, Saws, Files, 
Oilers, etc., Shafting, Pulleys and Hangers 
CAST EVERY DAY 



Capacity for SOGT Hands 

Atlas and Erie ENGINES, Korting and Leader 
Injectors, Turbine Water Wheels, etc. Hisrh 
Grade Mill BOILERS Built to Hartford. Specifi- 
cations a specialty. Locomotive Tender Tanks. 



"Write Us Before Yoti Btiy 



, '- (■ ■ r» 1 



^ 2\ WiB, 



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'U. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




017 002 024 8 



